Diamonds, Drugs, Debauchery and Some More Amsterdam Photos

The best ways to get around Amsterdam are by bike or by boat. We weren't quite brave enough to rent a bike--the trams, cars and all the other bikers make for some insane traffic. Our mantra as we crossed streets was, "Dart, dart, dart!" I'm pleased to say we weren't squashed by any vehicles, but most likely we would have been had we tried to cycle. There are lots of boat cruises offered, and we bought tickets for the canal bus. This boat lets people hop on and off at different stops through the city, and it offers a unique perspective of the houseboats.

When we weren't cruising through the canals or darting through traffice, we did stop to take a few photos. This little park was close to our hotel--I don't know the significance of all the lizard statues, but I thought they were cute. Amsterdam has tons of gorgeous churches, so I took pictures of a couple of them...too bad I can't remember their names! We stopped by Nemo, the huge science museum on the water. It was definitely geared towards kids, but we had fun anyway. I loved the view of the city from its rooftop terrace!

There are several diamond dealers in Amsterdam who offer tours. We arrived at Gassan at the same time as a bus full of American tourists. It was very interesting to watch the workers grind the diamonds down, and even more interesting to see some really big, beautiful diamonds up close and personal. We all filed into an office and our tour guide started unwrapping all these gorgeous diamonds and laying them in front of us. The yellow diamond in the photo was 2.54 carats and worth 198,000 Euros. I was too nervous to get too close to it, let alone touch it--I don't know what I thought would happen, but I had horrific images of me dropping it into a vent or accidently swallowing it or something! Many of the other ladies on the tour had no such hesitation. They were gleefully grabbing and giggling and trying on different jewelry. One lady grabbed that massive, insanely expensive yellow diamond, stuck it on her ring finger, and then huffed, "It's so small, I can barely see it!" Several of the other tourists rolled their eyes, and one suggested that maybe the lady's fingers were just too big. She didn't appreciate that at all, and screeched, "No, I have tiny fingers!" Obviously she had a bit of a problem with reality, as it was a huge diamond (and she had big, yeti hands!) but she kept insisting that all of her diamonds at home were much bigger and nicer than anything our tour guide showed us. Back out on the street after the tour, Kevin and I laughed about the ridiculous woman, and then occasionally sniffed, "Aah, the nouveau riche!"

Later that afternoon, we took a walking tour of Amsterdam and learned a lot about the architecture, history and unique culture of the city. The seventh photo of the mushroom was taken in front of a "Smart Shop". These stores legally sell hallucinogenic mushrooms and other herbal supplements. The government has taken the position that since these things grow naturally, it is perfectly legal to sell, buy and consume them. I thought that marijuana was legal in Amsterdam, but it actually is not. The police turn a blind eye to it as long as the "coffee shops" don't sell alcohol in addition to the marijuana. At the famed flower market, vendors even sell cannabis growing kits, and the tourist shops sell cannabis lollipops. Coming from the very drug-intolerant U.S., all this free and open substance use was a little shocking at first, but Amsterdam seems like one of the happiest, safest cities I have ever visited. Maybe the politicians know what they're doing!

We ended up at the Holland Casino...I guess gambling is much more heavily regulated than drug use, as we were not allowed in at first because Kevin didn't have his passport on him. We were in the mood for Black Jack, so we trotted back to the hotel for the passport, while I sang "Luck Be a Lady Tonight" and flashed some jazz hands at him. Goofy? Oh yes! But maybe it brought him some luck, as we left the casino 80 Euros richer! Sadly, I squandered our winnings on Friday morning. We found a book store, The American Book Center, and I was so excited to find that they carried People magazine--my favorite vice! They also had lots of books that I had been coveting, and English language books are very rare in our local Norwegian bookstore, so I went a little crazy with the spending! On the way back to the hotel, we saw a store advertising American foods. They had Cheerios and Aunt Jemima pancake mix, so we paid an insane $18 for a little taste of home at the breakfast table! (You can buy Multigrain Cheerios in Norway, but I haven't been able to find the original, oaten variety--I have already had a couple of bowls since we returned, and it was worth every penny!)

Anyway, to recap, we loved Amsterdam. The weather was perfect, the flowers were starting to bloom, the architecture and canals were so picturesque, and everyone we met was so welcoming and friendly. It is nice to be back home, relaxing with the animals, but I am already thinking about where we should go next. Maybe a flight up to Tromso on the northern tip of Norway, and then a boat cruise down the west coast to watch the midnight sun? Hopefully!