Another European Roadtrip

I can’t explain how much I love driving along the European countryside, especially when the trees have changed colors, the air is crisp, and there is up-beat music we can sing along to playing.

This time to: Amsterdam, NetherlandsFirst off a disclaimer: I forgot my actual camera at home (shame on me, I know) AND my Iphone decided to run out of memory AGAIN. I find this last bit absolutely appalling since I have absolutely nothing on my phone (no downloaded music or photos and hardly any apps) so I should not have gotten that forsaken “Out of memory” message every time I tried to take a photo. Therefore, unfortunately there are not that many photos and also unfortunately some of the ones I do have are of the Snapchat type (you can probably tell) because its downloads are of smaller size than normal photos. Lesson learned: just bring my normal camera.

Anyway, this was another spontaneous (I love that word) road-trip on our layover in Germany. Analeise and I are getting very good at the whole process: get to hotel, pack in ten minutes, take a taxi, pray there is an automatic car we can rent, figure out the rest later. This time we were accompanied by our lovely co-worker A’Brielle who, thankfully, did not mind that we had zero plans or expectations. Go-with-the-flow people are swell, aren’t they?

I can’t explain how much I love driving along the European countryside, especially when the trees have changed colors, the air is crisp, and there is up-beat music we can sing along to playing. By the time we got to Amsterdam, we still hadn’t reserved a hostel or hotel room for the evening. As we drove around, trying to find an overnight parking garage (there are actually many in the center), I suddenly turned a corner and BAM, I was surrounded by bicyclist. I wasn’t surprised to see many people riding bikes, but I was shocked to have to drive around them and terrified at the thought of hitting anyone. Finally, to my relief, we parked. Easily enough, we also found a hotel that still had rooms even though we coincidentally chose the weekend Amsterdam was hosting an enormous festival. The Avenue Hotel, for anyone wondering,was a nice place to stay for the evening. Although it was not hostel price, it was clean, private, and had the necessities wanted (towels, free breakfast, wifi, etc.). Plus it was an easy walk to our vehicle and to everything we wanted to see in Amsterdam.

As I always write on these types of posts: we walked, and walked, and walked. That is seriously just the best way to explain what our trips usually are. We walk out of the hotel and then just walk in a direction until we walk in another direction. We saw the Red Light District at night (of course), we found a weekend market (my absolutely favorite thing ever!), and ate the yummiest tomato soup on the Museumplein lawn where we watched puppies run around and people snuggle up with their loved ones. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to get my fries cone, but that’ll be my goal for my fourth visit back.

Eventually another quick layover road-trip came to an end and we had to say, “See ya later” to Amsterdam. Hopefully there is another spontaneous trip somewhere in my near future. I’m feeling that itch again! Cheers to traveling, friends. It keeps me feeling alive.

Love,

Mary

Also if anyone is curious, because I absolutely adore my coat, it’s from SAM’s and exceptionally comfy!