FLASHBACK #50: Part 2 - New Years In Amsterdam

After returning to Hertfordshire from my trip to Bristol, I spent one evening with the family before shooting off to Amsterdam on an Easyjet flight from Luton. I arrived in Amsterdam just before lunchtime, making my way through the huge airport to the baggage reclaim area.

While I was waiting for my luggage, I got a call from Bree; his flight had just landed too so I waited for him. Eventually, he appeared and I was so glad to see him, hugging him tightly.

When we left the airport, we got on the train, bound for Amsterdam's City Centre. We found our hotel easily, just 100 metres from the station and dumped our stuff. We walked through the City, ambling down the main street full of Christmas tourists.

Before I continue, I confess that I remember very few of the places we went to. Normally, I would research things like this for my blog, but my Amsterdam materials are in the UK and I am in Finland. Hey-ho! Let's continue!

On the first afternoon, we went for a walk around the canals. The grey weather blended in well with the dark brick, wonky buildings seemingly characteristic of Old Amsterdam. We walked for ages, getting really aquainted with the series of 'crescent-rings' of Canals that run around the city; over the course of three days, we visited the red-light district area (you have to, it's Amsterdam!), the emotionally-charged Anne Frank House, an impressie Diamond processing factory, the massive gothic Royal Palace in Dam Square. We also took the customary canal boat ride, using a ticket a ticket that was valid for 24 hours to hop on and hop off at various stops.

On New Years Eve, we actually spent the evening in Dam Square, seeing in the New Year with a bottle of Champagne I had bought with me from England. It was a fab night - amidst the dancing crowds in the Square, we shared the bubbly and I remember at one point thinking I was going to drown as I got bubbles up my nose. Now I know I am being a drama queen! Shortly after 2004 has started, we left the crowds in Dam Square and visited a number of gay bars to party away the early hours of January 1st.

Once thing I remember was that, throughout our stay, the weather was sooo cold. Gale force winds with somewhat a chill factor sliced through my inadequate clothes; quite understandably, I thought it would be significantly warmer in Amsterdam and packed accordingly.

All the things you hear about Amsterdam are true: the Red Light district is, in itself, a tourist attraction and a must see. Tulips are on sale, even in December which struck me as kind of bizarre and let's not forget the clogs which, believe it or not, were also on sale for actual wearing not for sale as ornaments. Everywhere you look, there are bicycles - some look like they have parked up and abandoned for they have rusted over or the wheels have been stolen leaving just the body of the bike which, let's face, is useless to anyone.