Hedonism with a Business License

Thinking you all enjoyed hearing about last year's adventure,  I can't help but provide a new installment.  This year's trip is to Central Europe.  After a long but uneventful flight,  I landed in Frankfurt, quickly cleared customs and ventured downstairs to the train station in the basement of the international airport. I checked the board, found my track and discovered a sleek ICE train waiting.  The ICE trains are a version of the bullet trains that traverse the continent.  I looked at my watch noticing we'd left early, ordered up a sparkling water, sampled some complementary Belgian chocolates, enjoyed the view and got to thinking what a seasoned traveler I've become getting from a plane to a train in record time.  Then the conductor came by to check my ticket and inform me that this train didn't go to Luxembourg, my destination.  And it had sped by my transfer stop about ten minutes ago - at 200 MPH.   

I did make it to Luxembourg, and was only about an hour later than my planned arrival time.  It was a beautiful old city with a royal palace, the great Notre Dame Cathedral and many, many other beautiful buildings.  I've also made it to Brussels, and the Grand Place which was founded in Roman times, burned to the ground in the 1200's and mostly burned again in the 1600's so the architecture spans several millennium.  And the Belgium mussels were to die for. 

I'm currently in Amsterdam.  It's raining and I'm taking a break after touring the Van Gogh Museum.  Last night I ventured out to see the famous Red Light District.  Figuring the prostitutes would cost 40 - 50 Euros, I made sure I only had 30 with me.  It was about a 10 minute walk down narrow passageways through bars and restaurants, past coffee shops that don't serve coffee, across the great boulevards and past more coffee shops.  The Red Light District was lit up like Disneyland.  And there was all manner of people enjoying the scene.  The girls, dressed in Victoria Secret style attire, sit in windows and tap, tap, tap on the glass to get you to come over.  I chatted with several until they found out I didn't have the price of admission.  It was great fun.  Yes, Amsterdam is everything I'd heard.  It's hedonism with a business license.  

  

Here's another example of what Amsterdam is about.  I'd stopped at a vendor to purchase my obligatory refrigerator magnet and asked if there was a grocery store nearby. 'Sure,' the vendor said with a twinkle in his eye.  'There's a grocery store not far from here.  Turn right at the first canal. Go up to the Anne Frank house and turn left.  Head down that street past the Gay Cinema and it's on your right.  If you get to the Royal Palace you've gone too far.'  Anne Frank House.  Gay Cinema.  Royal Palace.  Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore. 

My goal was to experience great art, architecture and history.  Having visited Luxembourg, Brussels and Amsterdam  the trip is already a resounding success.  And I've only been here a few days ... it's only just begun.

Love to All ...

Doug