Amsterdam and Berlin

SO. This is so hard to write about. You know when you have an experience and it was just so jam packed and full of EVERYTHING. Like a massive burrito. Well my spring break was like that, and it's hard to translate all the flavors into words. I will, however, do my best to dole the highlights.

Or maybe pictures would best describe? Ill do both. First, coming out of Florence was crazy because we were delayed TWO AND A HALF hours, but, as is Italy. We just wanted to GO! Anyway, we got there and (the Amsterdam airport is seriously clean) hopped on the train over to Centraal. Our hostel was called Vita Nova, and if you ever go to Amsterdam you MUST stay on this hostelboat because it is amazing and you are on a boat in the harbor right next to the NEMO museum. Whoa. And a pirate ship. No joke. The manager is named Roy and he is by far the coolest hostel manager I've met. Not that I've met LOADS OF HOSTEL MANAGERS but I bet by far he is the coolest. He took us to one of his favorite bars in town and we met all his friends and played music on the jukebox and danced with this couple from around amsterdam. Plus there was a tree of hats that you could just pick your favorite one and dance in it. We also did some educational things believe it or not (Im gonna keep saying 'we' because my housemate was with me during everything, so I must give her credit too). We went to The Rejksmuseum and saw countless Holland masterpieces, including The Night Watch by the one and only Rembrant (check this out: http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/attachments/QTVR/rijksmuseum_rembrandt_leerlingen.mov). What impressed me even more were the doll houses though. There are two humongous doll houses that are complete with furniture, dishes, wallpaper, drapes, inhabitants, and candlesticks. They were fascinating and reminded me of that movie Babe. The same day we headed on over to The Van Gogh Museum, which was having an exhibition of Gauguin at the same time, so there ya go! Did you know they were housemates? And totally didn't get along. There is a theory that it was Gauguin that cut off Gogh's ear after a scuffle...hmm.
I loved Amsterdam. It was such a friendly city. And I didn't ever feel in danger or nervous about anything. Totally safe. Plus, they love bikers there, they have lanes and traffic lights just for people on their bikes. There are bikes EVERYWHERE! Piled everywhere. Some of them are really old and funky and a lot of them have been painted and have fun additions. For example, there was a mom pushing a wagon filled with her three, 5-ish year old sons in it, in front of her bike! It was so cool. I want to have one of those that I can push around my dog in. Or my millions of books that I just have to have with me at all times. I'm sure I'll have those eventually.

Jeez, I can't write about Berlin right now, it is time to leave the computer and jam. I'll add berlin on tomorrow. BUT! Here are some pics from 'dam: