Amsterdam for the Weekend

Hello family!

I have returned from the weekend in Amsterdam with Marie, my father, and Will. They are currently headed to Belgium…and not to Groningen. :(

We had a lovely time in Amsterdam. Marie took quite a few pictures, and I took less than fifteen. It was understood that I have lost camera privileges when our family goes on vacation, because all my images lack people (woopsies…). Marie said that she wants pictures to document that they were actually there (not just an image of a pretty tree or building :P ). The images to follow are relatively boring, and I am sorry about that.

We saw Amsterdam, did a lot of shopping, and other touristy things. I have decided I must go back on my own/with a friend to visit the museums (for a particular European who reads this blog- “museums” is the plural of museum in English. So there. :P )

Mom- I got you a present…but you don’t get to see it for 5 months. Haha

Grandy- I’ve got your birthday present in mind! Haha, finally, I found something you don’t have (and don’t need.) victory is mine!

A document of the Griffin-Odom-Korf Amsterdam adventure:

Thursday- My father and I arrive in Amsterdam at about 6pm or so. I am super tired (had a headache the whole weekend), so, being the lame person that I am- I sleep. This night was low-key, Marie and Will had yet to arrive. Did nothing.

Friday- My father and I go to get Marie and Will at the airport. Their plane is delayed, then it sits forever on the runway, then it finally pulls into the gate. We all ride a train back to Amsterdam Central, unload at the room, then go out for a cup of coffee. We wander around for a bit, see “The Nine Little Streets” which have quite a few little boutiques that Marie and I enjoyed looking in (I particularly enjoyed a thrift store with a mass amount of clothes that would look absolutely hilarious on…and also I found a mask, which I did not buy, and now I regret not doing so. It was just something silly, but I liked it.) Marie and Will (namely Marie- Will slept like a baby on the plane) start to feel the effects of jet-lag so we have an early dinner, and then call it quits.

Saturday- Late to rise. My father runs next door to get pastries, and a cup of coffee (and by cup, I mean 4-6 ounces of coffee. :P European shocker!) then runs back out to get Marie another cup of coffee. We get out, Marie and I do a little shopping (little = hours) while my father and Will go to a Cannabis museum…yes… We meet up and eat lunch. Then, because we are all tired we go on a boat tour of Amsterdam (where the majority of my pictures come from). We then go back to the room, rest, and head out later for drinks and dinner. After dinner we wander some more, to questionable areas of town. We end up at a cute little café on a side street with delicious coffee and desserts (it is 11 pm by now) before heading home. Sleepy time.

Sunday- Late to rise…again. Vacation time = sleepy time. We had a mission to go to see the museums today. Get to the Rijksmuseum, and see that there is a long line. Decide to go to the Van Gogh museum. We are standing in line at the Van Gogh when we realize that the only person who wants to go into that museum is Marie…so instead, we go into the gift shop. Haha. After that, Marie and I wander the most expensive shopping district in Amsterdam (where we find out that you have to be the size of Audrey Hepburn to wear anything in the shops) while my father and Will go sit down at another café. After Marie and I realize that it is questionable if either of us can fit into the clothes, we join my father and Will, eat a lovely lunch (and the first giant cup of coffee I have had since being in Europe- thank you Café Boven). We end up walking all the way back to our hotel- and shopping more along the way (dang…that was soooo much shopping. Yikes.) We get back by 5pm, I pack, and head off to the train station with my father to come back here.

Now, I have no idea what they are doing…hopefully not getting lost and enjoying themselves. I am back to studying and freaking out again. :(

I am waiting for something super exciting to happen to make my blog more interesting…perhaps I should go partying or something. Hah…

I hope you all are having a lovely time with spring break. I know Aunt Mary is in Virginia with Patricia! And Jenny is partying it up with Grandy and the Norman crew. I miss you all so much!

I love you!

This is the Amsterdam Crest, it consists of three horizontal X's (not symbolizing the red light district or anything risque) and a Crown.

Darned reflection.

The tiniest canal in Amsterdam. You can see that the houses face straight out into the canal- they have doors that would open into the water.

squished houses.

An art pieces in one of the galleries I wandered into