Still in Amsterdam

mmm cheese

Still in Amsterdam :)

Friday was very wet, and spent a lot of the time just chillin in the hostel doing the blog.. That arvo I met Drew at the hostel, a mad dude from Sydney who had just come from the Burning Man festival in the States...something I now have to do :) There is also a burning man festival in Australia!!

That night Drew and I went for a huge walk around Vondel Park, this is an amazing place, great to 'chill out' and stroll around. It took around 45 minuets to walk the road through the park (and was really good to get out of the hostel for the day).
We had a few sneaky spliffs did some more exploring, and had some mad chats. I got back to the hostel about 3:30am and I crashed out hard.

Smart Shop

Saturday morning I managed to get a little sleep in, getting up at 10ish, I got down to the breakfast (30mins after it was supposed to finished) and still got some breakky :) lucky break. Drew came down a little while later and we missioned out for the day. We trekked to the down town area (near Central Station), to check out the sights. Drew filled me in on the 'Smart Shops' and we checked out a few on our travels, there is some really interesting stuff to be found in them :)

Nationaal Monument

We missioned all around the area and saw the 'Nationaal monument', 'Madame Tussards', and a few other places, checking out some of the local culture, and clothing shops. I grabbed a 6pack of Amstell on the way back to the hostel made it home and enjoyed a well earned beer :) Re-grouping we met Steve at the hostel and headed out to find a new coffee shop (Steve is a Canadian, who has been working in Edinburgh).

At De Rockery Cafe

We chilled out in the 'Rockery Cafe' 'indulging' and enjoying a few non-alcoholic beer (or maybe slightly alcoholic beer which tasted good - surprisingly), this coffee shop (also just around the corner) looked a little rough from the outside but was nice and chilled, they had a Buddhist theme, and had a DJ playing.  While we where in there we met some lads from Birmingham, then and we all cruised into the Red Light District.

The Red Light district was a real eye opener. Everyone is running on their primal instincts, you walk up and down the canals around the district and the women are standing in the windows in next to nothing motioning you to come in. One of the lads from Birmingham we where with went in to get some first hand experience from one of the girls and filled us in on the experience...lol.

Steve       and                Tyler

I did meet lots of people at Orfeo Hostel, Tyler was another person who I hung around with. He was a mad dude from America.
I changed to the Flying Pig Hostel Downtown, on the Monday morning, where Drew was booked into as well. I highly recommend the flying pig hostels they are awesome, they have great locations and are well set out, i thoroughly enjoyed my time spent there. On the second day at the Flying Pig Hostel I ran into Tyler again and on the same level as my 6 person dorm. So there was now the 3 of us from the Orfeo at the Flying Pig.

Biking in Vondel Park

After checking in I decided to rent a bike, this just has to be done in Amsterdam. The ride through Vondel Park is amazing, and was done many times. After almost crashing into another bike in the first hour, I got the hang of navigating the traffic without further incident. Biking was a great idea, so much easier than walking, and so much easier to cover distance.

Banksy

It did rain a lot over the the next week but that didn't stop me getting out n about. I saw some wicked graffiti around town.
This was actually in at the back of a cafe where Drew and I where having beers, Banksy yew, bit of a score.

Drew    and       Me

The Flying Pig cafe comes with its own 'smoking room', and while the weather bad you could always meet lots of peeps down there. I met Yonatan and his friend. Yonatan was from Australia and Israel, and is a photo journalist, he has some amazing pictures from the work he does in Israel. 

The House of Bols

On my last day I went with Tyler and Chris (from South Africa)  to the House of Bols. This was good fun, only $10Euros, and we got a cocktail and shooters for free. The picture is of a smelling room where you can smell all the different flavors that they offer.

House of Bols

Amsterdam was an awesome experience, it is so chilled there and people are really friendly. I would certainly go back.


Something worth noting is that there is a high number of physiological problems with the youth of Amsterdam, which is directly related to the weed, so it ain't all good in reality.

Some mad graffiti

I am now off to Munich, Germany for a few days for Oktoberfest before I head back to London. This should be exciting yew

Amsterdamage

Amsterdam: is the Capital and the largest city of the Netherlands. It has a population of about 1.36 million comprising 173 different nationalities. Amsterdam is derived from Amstellardam, due to a dam in the river Amstel.

Settled in the 13th century as a small fishing village it developed into one of the most important ports in the world in the Dutch Golden Age.

In the 17th century 3 concentric canals where built, and is classed as the first planned city. There is over 1250 bridges in Amsterdam of which 500 date back to the 17th century.
There is no tide flows in canal system due to locks. Fresh water is pumped in 3 times week to keep the canals fresh.
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Almost in Amsterdam.....
After departing with Kayne and Shaun on Monday morning after a farewell beer) i had to wait until 9:30pm for my overnight bus to Amsterdam.

Being right near the zoo in Berlin i decided to get a ticket and drag my luggage around with me. Compared with Australian zoo's it was really nothing special, but a good way to pass the time. I slowly made my way to bus station to find a feed and await departure. Outside the station, found a steak place that provided internet and had my first steak for the trip, it was tasty but not as good as back home - they really do serve like to serve mayonnaise with everything over here.
NB: In Europe so far steaks are really expensive to buy, so i wont be indulging all that often.

I jumped on my overnight bus connection, which was then delayed by about an hour while we waited for some stragglers to show up....We eventually got underway..woot. The 2 girls I had in front of me put there chairs right back which really cramped my style.. (mind you I did have 2 seats to myself so shouldn't be complaining,) busing it is really not the most comfortable way to travel...

Amsterdam :)

I got to Amstel station at about 6:30am and it was poring with rain, I think this is the most I have seen it rain since I have been in Europe.

Rather than decipher the public transport system on no sleep and with the poring rain, i just jumped in a cab and headed for the hostel (I knew that it was not that far away so wouldn't cost me much via cab)

First thing i noticed was the amount of traffic mediums that are at play in Amsterdam, there's a lane for cars, trams, bicycles, people and canals for the boats, its all very confusing...(especially after visiting a coffee shop, and is even worse at night lol)

Getting to the hostel I just chilled, just wanting to get some rest due to no sleep while traveling (again - I just cant sleep while in transit).
My first stop is in the Orfeo Hostel which is right in the thick of things, only a 10 min walk from everything.

The weather so far has been largely overcast and raining and was only 12 degrees the first day I got here...

Once checked in I decided to head out for a wander. I made it around the corner (less than 500m) and found a coffee shop, 'when in Rome' after all. I settled on a sample of 'G13Amnezia Haze', which i found decidedly strong for me and consequently really needed a lie down, (not at all surprising really, with no sleep and in a new country n all) I must be getting old...lol

After having a lie down I decided I should get some dinner, and ended up having a huge meal at the pizza place across the road, with soup n bread, pizza, tiramisu, 2 pints of heineken and a coffee, i was really hungry for some reason?? :p

I ventured out again to grab a 'coffee' and decided i wold not go as strong this time, and got the 'Chocolope' a much nicer brew.

For the first 6 days in Amsterdam, I am staying at the Orfeo Hostel in a 4 person dorm. This as you can imagine is a very small room, consisting of 2 bunks and a small sink, a communal bathroom for about 4 other rooms.

Initially I was bunking with 2 Scottish lads and Tim from Perth, who has been busking his way through Europe and plays some awesome acoustic folk music, see Tim Montgomery
 
The staff have been very helpful and friendly people and I have had a few great conversations with them so far, they certainly make the place hospitable. Breakfast is provided, which includes a boiled egg, bread and cheese, with juice and coffee. I have found a supermarket up the road, and for about 12 euros I can get dinner and lunch and 6 cans of beer (Heineken or Amstel) This has been a great money saver..
So far i have just been taking it easy, I brought a cough with me from Berlin and I have been trying to keep it at bay, which is somewhat in Amsterdam.

I decided first on a canal cruise which is an easy way to see the city and a good way getting your bareings and planning your future moves. You get a 24 hour ticket and you can ride on any or all of the 4 different cruises offered, I jumped on the Red Line and did a lap of the city, I exited outside the Anne Franks Museum and at this point I went exploring not fully knowing where I was...(I am trying to stick to the plan of getting lost in everyplace I visit)

I wandered around for a bit until it started poring with rain and ducked in for a quick pint. The rain stopped a short time after and I ventured out and manged to get more lost...there is something about the canals here, they are just not good landmarks because there is soo many of them, in fact I think it makes you lose your bearings more...

lucky rainbow

It was at this point while contemplating pulling a map out I saw the rainbow :) this with the sunlight lit up the street in front of me so I followed.  As I ventured down I saw some familiar landmarks and found my way home again.

That night after venturing down to the local coffee shop and getting well baked I came back to the hostel and played President and Assholes until late with Tim, Ally and Bronwen (friends I met at the hostel)  - it has been a long time since playing this card game.

The more I stay in anywhere in Europe the more you really notice how many Aussies are everywhere.

The morning saw the exodus of my dorm room, so I had the chance to upgrade my bunk to the best one...(bottom near the window :)

Having done this I headed back to the canal cruise and did the orange line, the longest of the journeys. On this trip we got to go past the only windmill left standing in the city area

There are soo many bicycles in Amsterdam, this bike park (to the right) holds some 7000 bicycles, and it is completely full every day, and there are hundreds more parked around the base, and in the general vicinity of this structure. More than 40% of the city's traffic is by bike.
There is said that the Amsterdam canals are 3 meters deep; 1 meter water, 1 meter mud and 1 meter bicycles

In the afternoon, saw the creation of this blog :)  after skypeing with Jim for a little while it was decided the blog was going to happen, and after an intensive skype tutorial (with Jim) = I got trained up good, then got cracking to get the blog up to speed, where it almost is now :)

Last night I met up with Bronwen Ally and Tim again and we all paid a lil visit to a well acquainted coffee shop, with a few other peeps that we met at the hostel.. (two of which are my new roomies), we all headed down to the Iamsterdam sign (beacause I thought it was lit up, however  all the lights were smashed in :(

We then missioned back towards the hostel via some food suppliers....

That brings up to today :) finally. woot woot
So far I have just completed my blog. It has been raining again on and off all day, and I had already to take today off, so win win. Minimal Amsterdamage YET today lol..it is Friday night however :)

Berlin - Germany

I arrived in Berlin mid afternoon at the Schonefeld airport, knowing that i had to meet Kayne and Shaun sometime(??) in the evening...
getting my bearings  i realised i had to get myself to the other side of town, to the other airport at Tegel, during peak hour, with all my gear...this was a little daunting at the time, however after a few beers it was certainly more manageable... (i came directly from London and my flight was basically a domestic, Kayne and Shaun connecting from a Japan Airlines flight, was an international).

After much deciphering the plane arrivals (while drinking beers and using wi-fi), i narrowed Kayne's flight down to one and awaited his arrival...I had only received the Japan airlines flight number into Heathrow Airport, and not the connecting flight, i was a little worried until i saw someone carrying a name plaque 'Hunnam', = success, i was in the right place, which was good because i was unsure where i was going to sleep that night otherwise...

Kayne and Shaun had just done 4 days in Tokyo and where in Berlin for 6 nights. They had won a Sony competition, with a great short film for Sony Make.Believe

It was good to see the guys, meeting someone on the other side of the world is always rewarding. They where also traveling with Nick from Gizmodo who i met briefly.  Once we convinced the driver that there was really 4 people to be taken from the airport not 3, Kayne, Shaun, Nick and myself all piled into Merc. only just managing to get us and all of our luggage in (was a bit like playing tetris).

Swissotel

We arrived at Our destination, the Swissotel Berlin, (yes i had somewhere to sleep tonight :)... i was able to get my luggage up to the room with Kayne's and Shaun's, then went and hid in the corner reading brochures and looking touristy while the guys checked in.
Initially the concierge tried to book them into a room with a double bed (lol), then changed it to a room with 2 singles which happened to be on the top floor. = very nice

Window view, top floor of the Swissotel

Berlin was a few degrees colder than in London, and you could feel the onset of the European winter looming. Its is an amazing city, so much see and so much history, esp from the Cold War, and so many amazing buildings...

The first night Kayne and I went across the road for a few beers, and got our first Steins, and as you can see as big as Kayne's head. Unlike in Aus, you can drink a full stein and the beer still be cold at the end.
(mmm steins = 1 litre of beer.)
We soon turned to tequilas and quickly decided that we would call it a night.

The next day we went exploring, (i have found that when arriving in a country the first day is always spent finding your bearings and exploring your surrounding areas).

Kayne however was really exploring..everything.. >---------->
there where lots of photos taken, and a running theme i developed early on was taking pictures of Kayne taking pictures, because he always seemed to be taking pictures...

We decided on a walking tour where we had an excellent Scottish guide Kenny, (who has been living in Berlin for 12 years, and is an author who was getting Germany books, published in London wtf?)

- Berlin Walks -

Berlin Cathedral

Brandenburg Gate

Kenny was most informative,  and we got to see and learn about many famous sites and many historical buildings, including the Brandenburg Gate, The Berlin Wall, The Site of Hitlers Bunker, The Death Strip, Check Point Charlie and Holocaust Memorial

Site of Hitlers Bunker

More Photos

Shaun and I @ part of the Berlin Wall

Holocaust Memorial

Aldon Hotel

Another land mark we saw was the Aldon Hotel where Michael Jackson held the baby out the window, (youtube).

Part of Kayne and Shaun's winnings of the Sony Comp. was entry into the 50th IFA, a HUGE Consumer Electronics Trade Show. The event is held at the Messe Berlin, and the venue is absolutely huge. The day i went  i saw some interesting things, the most noticeable was defiantly the emerging  3D technologies.

The most memorable moment of the day however is going to the SCOOTER concert that was held that evening, it was a bit of a flash back, and was awesome!!, he was just like he sounded on his albums....we all danced up a storm that night, and got well inebriated. At one point Scooter broke down into the Bird is the Word, very memorable night!!

Kayne and Shaun went out after Scooter to the Watergate a club in the Bronx's of Berlin , i however retired to my 'mooch spot'** and passed out cold,

note: the Mooch Beard

**the mooch beard was coined during this week (i think by Shaun)...this term became widely used by Kayne and Shaun ever since its conception. i believe most photos of me in facebook now have two tags, one of me and one of my mooch beard - thanks Kayne

my Mooch Spot

We enjoyed a variety of different German cuisines, both traditional and non-traditional. Of note was the Pork Knuckle,  Crepes (with nutella), and the Currywurst (mmm currywurst especially goods)

kebab shop

the Kebabs - which where cheap and delicious, served on toasted Turkish bread. To the left is a picture of the kebab shop we frequented, the amount of meat they have cooking at one time is huge, more than double than what you would find in Aus.

Giant Tortellini

On our last night Kayne and I got amazing pasta - Giant Tortellini, stuffed with a creamy mushroom sauce, served with small Porcini mushrooms -Kayne and i got this on our last night- and it was absolutely amazing.

On the last day we went to the Berlin Tower this was built in East Germany during the cold war and at 368m tall was the second tallest building in Europe (at the time). For about 10 Euros we traveled to the viewing deck at 204m, which takes 40 seconds (and made my ears pop twice), where on a clear day you can see up to 42km. There is a bar up there where we enjoyed a Long Island Ice Tea :) This was a great way to see off Berlin.

Before closing this chapter i must make a mention of the amazing bombed out church that we could always see from where were staying -whether still in the hotel on the 10th floor, or just walking around our immediate area.
 
The night this church was bombed in the 2nd world war, over 60,000 people died, it has been left there a reminder of these people, and about how bad war is. The two buildings either side are the new church, the larger tower on the right of the photo is steeple and the smaller building on the left is the chapel. The walls of the church are made of a concrete honeycomb containing 21,292 stained glass inlays, and looks amazing (from the indside)

A big thankyou to Kayne and Shaun for allowing me and my mooch beard to mooch it up for the week, and a thanks should go out to the swissotel for never questioning why i was always in there hotel and not technically staying there :) :)


Now on to Amsterdam (where i am writing this from), I needed to kill 10 days until I am to arrive in Munich for Oktoberfest, naturally Amsterdam was a good option. It is probably a little bit of an overkill here but i am not rushing into anything and have enjoyed taking my time. It has also given me the time to get my blog up to speed, and i am now almost there.