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All year, I planned to take my vacation in Amsterdam/Belgium and now that time has arrived. To get me started for this elaborate vacation, I was invited to the Menchaca's double birthday party in Stockton. They had make-your-own burrito buffet set out, they had a live mariachi band and they had an Elvis Presley impersonator. When the Elvis impersonator left the building, then they started playing good dancing music and one of the songs was "Let's Get it Started" by the Black Eyed Peas. When this song played, I knew I was ready for Amsterdam! Everyone at the party did a 'soul train' and I had visions of Amsterdam in my mind!

My Adventures in Amsterdam and Belgium

PaulDaleRoberts
2007-01-29 11:34:14

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towards their doors. I smiled and kept walking. Perhaps I thought to myself they recognize me from my days as a movie extra in movies like Rollerboogie and Skatetown USA during the 70s and they merely want my autograph. Some people who asked me for pocket change seemed to follow me, could it be, that I am gathering an entourage because of this recognition? Even as I walked past some Asian tourists, the cameras clicked and flashed...I thought to myself...'ahh, the paparazzi!'

When I explained my experience to the hotel receptionist...she said..."I think Paul, what you are describing is the red...." She never finished her sentence, as I saw my African friend Suoton Dambo in the lobby. All of the employees of the Best Western Bastion Deluxe Hotel are quite friendly and I had a sense of deja vu, since I recently stayed at a Best Western in Susanville, Lassen County in California on business, but the one here in Hoofddorp is much classier, they say it's a 4 star hotel, but it seems like a 5 star. Thursday morning, I got up early to prepare myself for a train ride from Schiphol (Amsterdam International Airport) to Antwerpen/Mechelen - Belgium.

To let you know Schiphol means 'docking of ships'. Schiphol like most of Amsterdam is below sea level. The train ride to Antwerpen/Mechelen, Belgium was fantastic, the scenery is so gorgeous and both cities have historical buildings with complicated designs.

In Mechelen, I ate at the Ying Bin Fine Eastern Restaurant at Hendrik Consciencestraat 38, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium. The Chinese food was incredible. I also stopped at a local store and ate some of Belgium's finest chocolates, before taking the train back to Schiphol. In one of the my train transfers I met Rocio Marcos Gonzalez and we discussed her travels and my travels. I mentioned Spain and how I thought the people were rude to me in Madrid. She became defensive on this comment. I asked her what her nationality was, she ...