more than
tea and scones
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Used Jet Trash
(Extra points to anyone who knows where that's from, though I think only Sarah V will know)The campground here in Amsterdam (actually 11km out of Amsterdam, but who's counting) is unbelievably awesome! Picture the coolest, kitch-est white trash trailer park, complete with little domed camping trailers and a ping-pong table in the courtyard, and you can start to imagine this place. The guy behind the checkin counter always wears a hawaiian shirt, and there are an abundance of little wooden parrots on all the fences (along with giant monster spiders in the bathroom, but that's another story)
Yesterday we decided just to chill, so we walked the 2km or so into the nearest little village (I forget the name, but it's very cute) and bought groceries, walked home (by way of the cow pasture) and spent the afternoon chilling in the hammock, eventually moving down to the beach on the other end of the parking lot. I think if tomorrow is decent, another day must be spent there. After dinner and a heated game of pingpong, we read, then went to our new beds. (Jen is sleeping in my tent, and I rented a supertent, complete with raised cot, 2 sleeping bags, blankets and a flashlight. Luxury!)
Today we made the big treck into the city, and wandered around for a bit, till we finally found the Anne Frank House. (Where she hid out till they were discovered and captured) Amsterdam officially wins as the most confusing city to navigate. It has a million little canals and everyone rides bikes. There are no cars on the roads, so you get decieved into thinking that you can walk in the middle of the road till WHOOSH, you almost get taken out by a hippie on a bike.
I'm trying to find somewhere that will be able to develop my photos in time for me to take them home, but I'm having a bit of trouble with that. I may just have to develop them once I hit Victoria, but I don't have any idea how.
And after that, it's Thursday, and I head for home. A quick 4 day stop in Victoria, and I'm back in Calgary on the night of the 29th. I have no idea what's happening on the 30 and 31, so if anyone has any ideas for plans, call my cell (I don't have it here, but will be able to check my voicemail as soon as I get home, which is a little easier than checking my email in Victoria. Send and email if you don't have the cell #, I hate putting it on here)
Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing everyone, and not having to pay every time I want to use the computer. See you all soon!
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Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Wearing: Dirty clothes
Day's Activities: did nothing, went into Amsterdam, shopped, museumed, internetted.
Thing you miss: My cell phone. Everyone in this country has one!
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Jody at 8:04 PM
"And now, the end is near..."
"...and so I face, the final curtain..." (Bonus points to anyone who knows the song that I just mangled)Well, today is my second-to-last day in Europe, and it's officially time to start getting nostalgic. I'll save all the sappy reminicing and heartfelt thankyous for another time, and just say...wow.
I can't believe I did it. I can't believe the dayI waited for so long, that I would leave and start my trip and finally explore, has come and gone. I've gone through nearly two months of highs and lows, and learned SO MUCH about the rest of the world that I only read about.
A few weeks ago, I was talking with someone who said that, the whole time they were growing up, they always thought of Europe as being magical. So much of what you learn in school is based here, that you expect it to have an entirly different way of life, so dramatically different that it blows you away. And I can honestly say that I've seen things that certainly have blown me away. But I've also seen that a lot of europe is just like home. The Alps in Switzerland look a lot like the Rockies. I can get lost as easily in Amsterdam as I can in Vancouver. People in clubs here are dancing to the same crap that people at home are dancing to. Not saying I ever regret coming, mind you. Quite the opposite. Getting to see everything, and be able to picture Denmark while I read Hamlet, or Norway when I look at family photos is such an amaising thing that I'll always treasure.
Wow, ok, moving on from the sappy stuff now...
On second thought, I'll just make up another post. See above!
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Location: Smelly internet cafe in Amsterdam, Netherlands
Wearing: Dirty jeans, dirty shirt (dear god mom, please bring clean clothes to Vancouver!)
Day's Activities: See above post
Thing you miss: Clean clothes
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Jody at 7:44 PM
Id like to extend a big warm fuzzy welcome to all the readers! Cheers to Aunty Sue, Amanda, Mommy, Daddy and all the family reading this. Cheers to my Scottish parents and my Scottish family (yes, even Anthony and Rebecca - I miss you two!) Joe, we love you! Im not sure who else reads this...Cheers to Jojo's family, friends and followers!
Comment if I forgot to mention you...Im curious as to who reads this thing
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Location: Amsterdam
Wearing: stainfree pants, NEW SHIRT!!! (2 euros...its a boys undershirt but its long and covers all necessary parts)
Day's Activities: sleep, learn the details of my new job (I work at the hostel), explore Amsterdam
Thing you miss: ENGLISH
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jenny at 6:31 PM
Sunday, August 21, 2005
Pukkelpop Update
so I survived 4 nights of rain, "mizzle", sun and freezing temperatures, but the concert was totally worth it. Dropkick Murphys just rocked, the moshpit was so killer. However, nothing beat Bad Religion's moshpit, some guy totally busted up his nose and was spewing blood everywhere, then this other guy bit down on his tongue ring and ripped open his tongue, it looked mighty painful. There was plenty of blood lost in that pit. I escaped unharmed and covered in beer and teenageboy sweat -ugh.The majority of the crowd was your little sixteen year old teenage boy, and dear god, do sixteen year old boys stink. They sweat and fart and after 4 days with no showers, the moshpits began to just smell terrible.
My personal highlight of the festival was seeing Marilyn Manson's lacy black underwear....grrr...now that is one sexy man! Manson is the only man who can wear a skirt slit up to his crotch and lacy knickers and still be more of a man than those teenage punks I shared the moshpit with. Im just blown away by Manson, that show should keep me content for a while.
The nights were cold at Pukkelpop and we were tenting it. My nighttime "pajamas" were 2 pairs of pants, 2 pairs of socks, 1 tanktop, 1 t shirt, 1 long sleeve shirt, my fleece jacket and my pashmina worn over my head and wrapped around me like a scarf. If only I had mittens...
So Im in Amsterdam...this shall be home for the next 2 weeks of my life...
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Location: Lucky Lake campground -Amsterdam
Wearing: my pajama pants, my "white" jacket (ha, its more like a brownish color, there is beer on the sleeves accompanying my port wine stains. There is some blackish stuff from the metal fencing surrounding the moshpits...that metal fencing is responsible for half my bruises...and I still have the stain from the ol' days at Rona)
Day's Activities: wake up, take train from Kiewit to Amsterdam, watch movies, SHOWER
Thing you miss: socks...tomorrow I will find a dollar store (or Salvation Army) and get myself 2 more pairs of socks...my current inventory is 4 socks, only 2 of which make a pair...I dont know where all my socks went. I blame the laundry lady at Granada, I gave them my bag of laundry and I think the lady stole my socks and gave me someones thong -how awkward was THAT to go through my laundry and find some tattered thong...shudder
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jenny at 6:45 PM
Rockin' in the Free World
Hey all!Sorry for no posts, but Jen and I were both at the Pukkelpop concert in Belgium. Other than having the Dresden Dolls cancel out (they were the reason I went, but it was still worth it) it was awesome! I have so many new bands to check out. (Wish I could give more details. Nick Cave blew me away, the Hives totally had me, and yes Joe, I actually saw the Polyphonic Spree. It's better live than even the CDs are.)
So for the next 4 days, Jen and I are at "Lucky Lake Campground"(We can't decide if it sounds more like it's from a cheesy murder mystery, or a cheesy porno.) We even have our own little welfare trailer for tonight! (After 4 days with nylon walls, we needed something just a little more solid for at least 1 night)
Well, gotta be quick. Our toasties (Grilled cheese sandwhiches! God, I miss those!) are finished, and we're gonna go eat them in the hammocks, next to the giant plastic elephant water fountain. (Oh god, I wish I could post pictures! I have the overwhelming urge to dress like trailer trash!)
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Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Wearing: Same jeans I've worn for the last 5 days, same jacket I've worn for the last month, black shirt that smells funny.
Day's Activities: Didn't really get much sleep due to camping drunks next to us. Packed up, trained it across the country up to Amsterdam, my final city. 4 days to go!
Thing you miss: SHOWERS! That's the highlight for tonight, and I'm so excited, you have no idea.
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Jody at 5:00 PM