My first day in Amsterdam was just what I
expected. The people here so far have been friendlier in comparison to the
other cities, there were bikes everywhere I looked, and of course it’s
inevitable to mention the smell of weed in the air. Literally as soon as I got
off the train I smelled it. Talk about fitting a stereotype. One thing I
actually didn’t expect was how cold it was. I was freezing. I guess I’ll have
to buy another jacket or something.
The
walk and travel by tram to our hostel was really interesting. The tram ride was
nice, but actually walking on the sidewalks felt like a chore. I’m used to
walking through massive crowds of people and even dodging people on bicycles.
But now we have to do those things plus be aware of when a tram is coming
through the street. They are so incredibly quiet, so you have to keep an eye
out. I almost go ran over by one, I’m not even lying. Luckily there was someone
next to me that got my attention and told me not to go. I was scared to death,
so from now on I will probably be too paranoid about the trams to pay attention
to the cyclists. I guess I’d rather be ran over by a bicycle that a tram.
Aside from that adventure,
everything else so far has been relaxed. I took a small walk to check out what
was close to our hostel. I love that we have a little park right next to the
hostel, and I’m equally thrilled that we are so close to so many shops.
