City of Bikes

My trip to Holland was great! I saw everything I wanted to see and even met some really fantastic locals. I stayed in Amsterdam which was full of things to do. Amsterdam's official name dates back to the 27th of October 1275. When there had been a bridge built with a dam across the Amstel. It is home to many impressive museums, the oldest building in the Netherlands, and is the #1 tourist destination in Europe.

Captains Log Day 1:
 My friend and I took separate trains to Amsterdam but arrived only about an hour apart. So once we met up a little after 11:00 our adventure began! We started off by walking around and completely amazed about everything around us. Since it was a nice sunny day everyone on the streets was out smiling, laughing and enjoying the warm weather. We ran across the flee market which was impressive. Each time you though you were at the end another 20 more were around the corner with their tents pitched selling things. From clothes, books, furniture, and food to antiques, paintings, and rugs. Had I been able to, or had a reason to I would have bought a rug. The rugs there were beautiful and super cheap! After that we kept walking until we found one of the " I AMsterdam" tourist signs. Its very touristy, but I would recommend seeing it. The first one we found was covered with kids on a field trip playing inside the letters and sliding  down the "S" 

Basically at this point I began to fall in love with this city! (but I fall in love with every new city so bare with me...) I would consider Holland/Amsterdam a solid runner up behind Austin. 

Walk, walk, walk, see amazing architecture and some extremely crooked buildings (and taxi boats in the canal)...and BAM now its nearly 3pm and my friends and I are both completely distracted by anything that looks like food. So what better way to eat than to have a bunch of Dutch cheese samples, crackers, and some wine. The cheese, oh my heavens! The Dutch really know what they're doing and everyone else is wrong. It was by far the best cheese I have ever had in my life, it was rich, creamy and packed full of flavor.We both sat there eating cheese and soaking up the sun until it was time to call it a day. But on our way I discovered that bikes run the city the hard way.

A bicyclist in this city is of a higher status then cars, trains, trams, buses, and ESPECIALLY people walking. So there I am just walking down this cute little "straat" that has a good amount of room on each side. There would be plenty of room for, oh lets say a bike, car, and walker. Apparently that was NOT the case in the eyes of the bicyclist that tried to run me over. They were shooting down the street as if I wasn't even there. I had to side step to avoid them and then they continued to drift more my way. Its like they had a target on me! To speed the story up I had to keep getting over to the point where a driving car bumped me. Granted that the car wasn't going fast, but none the less bikes are insane in Holland. For the rest of the trip I probably looked paranoid every time I had to cross a bike path.

Day 2:

The first thing we got to do was figure out the bus system. Since bikes are #1 and everything else is #2 and its as simple as that. Luckily we managed to map out a route to the Anne Frank house that avoided bikes =]. I wasn't completely impressed with the house, which was a huge let down because I read the diary again just for this trip. However I did find it quite nice to see the neighbor hood around it and really paint a picture as to what she saw in hiding. After that we walked to the Van Gogh Museum. I will keep this part short. It was AMAZING we spent over 3 hours in there and anyone who goes to Amsterdam NEEDS to see it. Once we left the museum we met a local who was one of the nicest people I had ever met and they invited us to a soccer game the next day.

I really think the best way to see a city is to walk, observe, and talk to locals. The city is so much nicer when you see the cute attractions for tourist & everything the residents there do day in and day out. 

Day 3:

After a long 2 days of walking it was so good to just watch a soccer game. Fun little fact, the soccer game was the first game I have actually watched the whole way through and payed attention to. I may have a new interest in soccer, but don't worry American football is still #1 in my book and will always be! After the game my friend and I took a nice long walk through Vondelpark, I think the park would look nicer later in the year but it was still very pretty! After a game and a long walk whats better then getting some pizza at a little sports bar cafe, I'll answer that for you! Nothing! 

Day 4:

It was a only a half day since we had to catch a train back to Germany. Regardless with all the museums and walking we were doing we realized we never actually saw Amsterdam's main attraction. You got it, the red light district. Now I'm just going to say it, I am SO thankful we went during the day. Yes it was interesting to see a different culture and what they call the worlds oldest profession. All in all though I'd much rather spend my vacation trips hiking, and seeing museums. Not walking down a street of half naked women in windows, that smells like beer,pee, and regret. 

After a long trip it was hard to say good-bye to such a pretty city and culture! I really liked how active everyone in the Netherlands was and all the history behind the city. Plus, show me a city with nice locals that smile and are very hospitable and I am SOLD. =]

Until next time! Bis Bad! 

Dum-Ditty-Dum-Dum

I actually just had no idea what to title this post. What do you call a post about not being sick, a "vacation", and other random things? Well, I used more of sounds than words. Let's get down to business!

First, this bit is more so for family. I was super sick with tonsillitis and a penicillin resistant form of strep for over a week. It sucked and I had to see the doctor a few times! However, I am finally better and back to my smiling, laughing, running, spontaneous self! So now that my family knows I am well again I will get more into my "vacation" trip to Karlsruhe and Oberderdinger.

I put it in quotation marks because it was my host families vacation to see family. I went along to continue to watch the kids. That's pretty much one of the dilemmas as an au pair. You get to go on the families vacations, but at the same time you're still working so its not like you get to do what you want. The trip began when I picked up the kids early from school and took them to the train station. I took the 6 hour train ride with the kids and the parents drove. That way there was a car available when we got there. This was my first train ride in Europe and I was glad that it went smoother than I expected. I was preparing for the worst in my head...Anyways, when we got there it was very relaxed. For most of the day it was visiting family. But we did take three trips I would like to spot light. Trip #1) a nature walk that had workout stations along the way. For a nature and fitness junkie like me this was just AWESOME! There was push-up sections, balance beams, monkey bars, high jump, rope climb, long jump, and at the end a play ground! I would highly anyone traveling in Germany to look for these. They make great day hikes/walks for all ages! I recommend asking locals for the directions to such things sense most aren't publicized or mapped out. Trip #2) A winery hike! Because its fun to take an hour hike up the hills of a winery to a restaurant. I'm not even being sarcastic! =] We hiked an hour up, had lunch, and then hiked/walk back down. It was more of a walk for us but I'm sure there are others that have hiking trails available. Now Trip #3) Karlsruhe Zoo, it is RIGHT by the train station. We had were actually just gotten to the train station 5 hours early and had a ton of time to kill. So we went to the Zoo. I LOVE animals, so being able to walk around a park, flower garden, and zoo all in one was an awesome trip! This place was another fun for all activity.

None the less, I had a good time there but during this whole time I was working. So it was a little like... go keep the kids busy while we do this, or we do that. Luckily for me I enjoy going to the parks and playing soccer, swinging, tag, and other made-up games.

Now, my vacation coming up is to the Netherlands!! I have three (I guess 3 is the number of the day..) things planned to do while I am there. My #1 times a million is to see the Anne Frank house. I even read the book again. I like history and a place like that is so significant in history. Next I want to see the Van Gogh Museum. I think it will be gorgeous! And I've saved the best for last, a bike trip in the country side that I plan to make a full day out of! I am pretty excited to go and will make a post of my trip.