Did someone say bike? 16th Oct

We arrived in Dusseldorf, Germany, on Friday. It was raining. No complaints though as we have been really really lucky so far in terms of good weather. What we are struggling with is the cold!!!! We were told it would be about the same as Newcastle, but this is colder. The wind chill goes right through you.
Our friends Maggis and Alex are taking care of us while we are here. They thought they would take us to Amsterdam for the day, a 2 1/2 hour drive from Dosseldolf. We had an early one friday night and got up early(ish) for the big trip. We took our passports but there is no border control. Even though it's in the Neterlands, we don´t get a stamp! There wasn´t even a line to say where Germany finished and the Netherlands started! I was dissapointed.
What an adventure it was. Apart from the obvious, yeah, everyone smokes and goes to sex shows unless your us (Pete did try the smallest bit of hash cake and that was about as daring as we got), let me tell you what else I think makes up Amsterdam:

the cute houses

Buildings. Unlike other citys that we've visited, the buildings here are all different sizes, shapes and angles. They are so cute and I do wonder how some of them are standing up. They look like part of the foundation has given way and they are only being held up by the building next to it, its amazing! But they are everywhere too, not just one or two;

bikes in the main square

Bikes. I knew that bikes were a big part of Amsterdam, but I didn´t realise just how much really. They are chained to the bridges, railings, each other, or just to themselves. they were hanging over bridges, there was even what looked like a multi level car park that was full with only bikes! There are piles of them and stations of them. They even have bike lanes with there own lights. No one wears a helmet and I saw so many different types of bikes!

Open urinals. Maggie and I struggled to find a toliet, but everywhere there were these outside cubicles for guys. And did they smell. Not that Pete or Alex were game enough to use them, they waited for real loos as well.

one of the many canals

Little streets and canals. Everywhere. The lanes just seemed to get smaller and smaller. And the canals were beautiful, some quite open, and some with house boats tied to their sides. All the little lanes were joined together with bridges and even some of the bridges were covered in bikes! It really was a maze going through the lanes and we had to try to get our bearings to get back to the car.

check the bike thats hanging

So of course we went to the sex musum, which looked at sex throughout the ages, at different types of fetishes and preferences, paintings, carvings, statues and had wax figures in comprimising positons that flashed their bits at you. At was interesting and had a bit to look at and when we got outside we realised there was 2 more levels we didn´t even look at!

in the main square

There's a big square in the middle of Amsterdam where everyone hangs out which was pretty. We had sausage for lunch which is served in a cardboard dish not bread with sauce and onion and spent too long warming ourselves with tea and coffee and got a 50 euro parking ticket! An expensive cuppa.

Our cold friend

It was a great day out followed by a late night out in Dusseldorf where its okay to drink in the street which I think is where we spent most of our time. Meet a man playing guitar and singing wearing nothing but a g-string and it was freezing out. We had a sambucca shot which was so strong (I really am getting old),tried beer with grapefruit in it, tried to drink a hot alcoholic beverage that they serve at christmas which tasted like hot red wine. It was supposed to warm you up.... tasted like shite, sorry Alex. We won´t be able to fit our pants soon.
It has been an adventure so far!! We are a little bit back- to- front with our entries at the moment, we´re missing the few days with Uncle Eric, which I have already done but is on my laptop which has run out of power and alas we have no adaptor!! Small oversight! So once its up and running it will be up! I´ll get this whole thing one day I´m sure. So until next time!!! Love P & R xxx

Us with Maggie and Alex

written by

Pete+Rochelle on October 17, 2010 from Amsterdam, Netherlands

from the travel blog: Round the world!!!

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got you at last,looks like youre having a ball,read all five blogs together,and now this on your bike one,top blog you feel like you should be there,keep up the fun,look forward to the next posting.love C&J.

written by

worjacky on October 18, 2010

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