Visited Brugge Belgium and am now in Amsterdam. I am sure lots of you have seen the movie In Brugge. I will have to check it out once home.
Brugge is a lovely, quant town with many canals. They call it the Venice of the North, but they think Venice should be called the Brugge of the South as it is older. Anyway it is a great city with wonderful chocolate shops and architecture. Some of that Belgium chocolate got wasted today. It melted in my backpack and created a mess, what a waste.
Did you know that a bad smell can keep you awake? Well I learned this the other night. A guy came into the room at 3am and he was rank. Now you will think with booze. No. It was some other awful odor that two Aussies that were in the room too described as rotting road kill. They had his feet close to their heads and I had is bag, backpack, shoes and his stuff by my head. I got up and moved the shoes, but it was more than that. He needed to shower, do laundry maybe throw out socks, shoes or everything.
So carrying on with smells, Amsterdam… The smell of pot is prevalent. The Red Light district is interesting to say the least, quite the entertainment around here. No pictures of the ladies in the windows though. They will come after you and throw urine on you or smash your camera. I guess they keep cups of urine beside them in case, lovely. It is quite interesting to see the negotiations and coming and goings, 15 minutes and if you are not finished you must renegotiate. The Red Light district has existed since 1600. There is a church in the heart of the Red Light district. It was for the sailors to go to confession before they headed back out to sea and if they were going early in the morning they could have their confessions listened to in advance, for a sum. There are quite the interesting shows in this district too and the tricks they can do. G readers so you will have to ask specifics of me in person.
A lot of the buildings are on a lean towards the road and have a hook at the roof in Amsterdam. This was for merchants to get their shipments into the building without using the stairs. Still used for houses today, coaches, fridges etc.
Taxes in Amsterdam are based on how wide your house or building is. There is one house that is only as wide as the door.
The Frank’s hid out in Amsterdam during World War II and the site where Anne wrote her famous diary and took refuge with her family is now a museum in town.
Click here for pictures from Brugge Belgium and Amsterdam Holland.
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