Home » Netherlands » Amsterdam

I arrived in Amsterdam [Sunday] after a pretty boring flight [ie. I wasn't seduced by any international sportsmen]. I landed at 4pm local time and made my way through the aiport excited to see signs in English and shop names that I recognised. I enquired about a train but couldn't fathom getting my suitcase down stairs on my own. A taxi was going to cost me 35E so I wasn't too keen on that idea either. I ended up getting a shuttle which dropped me right outside my hotel and was considerably cheaper than a cab - well done Nat!<br />

Amsterdam

Natalie Moore
2006-03-03 19:31:47

Displayed times (last time: )

breakfast - finally. Egypt is known for many things, coffee is not one of them. I then went to an internet cafe to send lots of love home and went for another walk. I had decided that I wanted to hire a bicycle as that would be the best way to see the city. I was hesitant to do so by myself though as I was sure to get lost in the myriad of streets and canals. So I went on a 4hr cycling tour which met just near my hotel.

I was so glad that I did as it was without a doubt the best way to see the city. The weather was perfect and as we cycled out through the city and into the countryside I could not think of when I had a nicer afternoon [except perhaps a chai tea in the sun at Mash]. My imagination was working overtime and whilst cycling I pretended to be many things. My favourite was a Jewish girl fleeing the Nazis in WWII. I also tried pretending I was Dorothy cycling away from the wicked which of the west but as my bike had no basket on the front and no Toto, that was a bit of a stretch.

We went as far as the cheese factory where we entered for a demonstration. Once again I found myself, unwillingly, the centre of attention. As I walked into the factory the farmer came and took me by the arm and announced I was to be his assistant. So I had to get dressed in traditional Dutch clothing [including clogs] and be his helper. There was about 20 people on the tour and I was quite embarrased. At one stage he grated a huge mound of cheese into my outstretched hands. The farmer then said to me 'something very special is going to happen now. do you know what it is?' I of course had no idea and was just hoping like crazy he wasn't going to ask me to eat ALL of the cheese. He then turned me around to face the rest of the group and said 'all of the men in the room are going to be eating out of your pretty little hands'. Who knew - a Dutch cheese farmer with a sense of humour!!

The tour finished at roughly 4.30pm and I ...