All we wanted was to save money. A cab to the airport is like 25 euro, so Josh and I decided to take the Renfe Train instead, which is free (Ansell was meeting us there, he was gonna leave for the airport straight from class). We got to the platform and waited five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen minutes...at first we didn't notice how long it was taking because we were talking to each other and were so excited about the trip, but once we got on the train (which arrived over twenty minutes after we got to the platform) we realized - fuck - we were really cutting it close. The train seemed like it was moving sooo slowly. Finally we got to Estacion Sants and switched to the train that goes to the airport, and then to a shuttle that brought us to our terminal. Once we got inside we sprinted through the hallway, me frantically trying to maneuver my rolling carry-on, Josh's backpack bouncing dorkily on his back, until we got to the TransAvia counter. The screen said "Amsterdam" but there was nobody behind the desk, and everything was dark.
By now we were really sweating. Only half an hour until the flight left. We went to the information counter and explained our situation to the woman there. She made a phone call that lasted five minutes, and at the end all she could tell us was to go to a different counter. So we run to THAT counter and talk to the woman there, who calls the people at the gate - by now we have 20 minutes till the flight leaves - who tell her that we can't come through. Really? There's no way they can rush us through security? Nope. It's not possible. I'm sorry.
Angry, discouraged, and disappointed with ourselves, we asked when the next flight left. In five hours, but we'd have to pay the difference, which was 105 euro. So we start running around to all the airline counters, seeing if any other airlines are flying to Amsterdam. One company, Vueling, had a flight that left in an hour so we just bought those tickets (I don't want to talk about how much we paid for them, on top of the money we lost from the first ones). Relieved to have tickets at all, we went to the Vueling counter to check in. We're trying to be upbeat, but the guy behind the counter has this terrible attitude. Did we have any luggage to check? No, just carry-ons. Can I see your carry-on? I show him my little rolling suitcase (which I've used as a carry-on to fly to Paris, Dublin, and Marrakech without a problem), and he tells me I need to weigh it. It's 12 kilos, and the limit is 10! So I take some shit out of my suitcase, stuff it into Josh's backpack, and re-weight it. Yay, it's only 10 now! But no. Now, he tells me, I have to fit my suitcase into this little metal grid rectangle thing to make sure it has all the riht dimensions. Have you ever seen those grid things? They're tiny! No one's carry-ons EVER fit in them. So I'm trying to squeeze my suitcase into this rectangle, and it's more or less the right size, although the wheels simply can't fit inside. It's the wheels, Josh says. Nope, the man says. If it doesn't fit, I have to check it, and THAT costs 10 euro. Full of anger, I try again to fit my suitcase into the thing, but I just look like an idiot. Fuck it, I'll pay the 10 euro. I've lost so much money already. But then he tells me that I can't pay the 10 euro there at the counter, he has to give me a little ticket, and I have to go back to the Vueling offices and pay, and then come back to his desk to pick up my boarding pass. We've had a very hard day, I tell him. Why does everyone come around telling him about their problems, he asks coldly. No one ever asks him about his problems.
Can you feel the frustration? I run back to the offices, give them the money, get the receipt, bring it back to the guy, who finally hands over my boarding pass. Now we're almost late for our second flight. Luckily, though, we pass quickly through security and make it to the gate with five minutes to spare. Meanwhile, poor Ansell's sitting on the TransAvia airplane without us (he didn't have his phone on him, so we couldn't call), completely confused, wondering if his name is Ansell Borges, if today is Friday, April 4th, ad if he's in the right place.
We were so exhausted/relieved/happy when we finally landed in Amsterdam, arrived in our hostel, and found Ansell and Lisa waiting for us in the lobby. We all checked in and paid - we were staying in a 6 person room, so it was gonna be the 4 of us and 2 strangers. When we got in the room, however, there were four bunkbeds, which means 8 beds. One of the bunkbeds was empty, though. Maybe it's just for storage, we decided.
It was nice to get out into the city. It is beautiful. We ate a wonderful dinner at a Urugyayan steakhouse, and then went to a coffeeshop called The Rookie. Afterwards we walked around and saw all the neon. Then we stumbled upon the Pancake Corner, so of course we went in and relished in the crepe-like treats topped with chocolate sauce, caramel, and ice cream. Also, all the TVs in the place were showing female wrestling, which was funny.
When we got home we saw that there were two large men sleep in one of the bunkbeds, although the other one was still empty. Exhausted, we fell asleep quickly, only to be awakened at 4am by the sound of men yelling and arguing: Shut up, be quiet, I'm trying to sleep, who are these guys, get them out of here, go fuck yourself, go fuck your mother, etc. Apparently two new large men had arrived at 4am and had been sent to sleep in our extra bunkbed, and were making a lot of noise, and one of the already asleep big men woke up and asked them to be quiet, and who were they anyway, we only paid for a 6 person room, and also threw in some racial slurs and then confrontation ensued. Seriously, these guys were shouting and swearing so loudly to each other. I was pretty freaked out. Then one man left and came back with security guards in suits who started shining flashlights in everybody's faces. What's going on here, they asked. This man claims someone hit him! (Of course, no one had hit him.) Some of the other men explained the situation, and that no one had been hit. The security guards didn't do much with that information, they just went out into the hall, leaving the door wide open as they spoke loudly, then came back in, then went back out...this went on for about an hour.
I got up and crawled into Josh's bed, and was like, wtf is going ON? We really did book a 6 person room, and neither of us could believe that they sent up two other guys, especially at 4 in the morning. We went out into the hallway to discuss what we should do. I really wanted to switch rooms immediately but Josh told me it'd probably be best to just wait until the morning. Then, one of the security guards came out into the hall and saw that I was upset. You upset? he asked with a Dutch accent. Yes, I said. Then he touched my chin with his fingertips and said, Awww. (In a very condescending way. It was gross.) Eventually one of the newcomers moved out and the other newcomer stayed - 7 people ended up sleeping in the room - and by some miracle, Josh and I went back inside and went back to sleep. We woke up at noon because we were so tired, which means we missed the free breakfast and lost an entire morning in Amsterdam. Furious, I stomped down to the front desk and asked to speak to the manager. She took me into her office and I relayed the events of the entire night, including the security guard touching my chin (she agreed that it's inappropriate for him to touch me, even if it's just my face). She also said all the other rooms were booked that coming evening (it was a Saturday night) but she could move us to a 4 person room for Sunday night, free of charge. I said great. Then she offered to reimburse us 50% of the cost of the previous night's stay, and I was like dude, that night was horrific. Is it possible for you to take it off completely? She sort of looked around dumbly for a while and then said yes, I suppose that's possible as well. So we got our money back for that night! I was so proud - making complaints and getting shit for free is the type of thing my mom does really well (if it were here, she probably would've gotten the money back for the entire stay, but hey, I'm still a beginner).
So we got ourselves together, went into another pancake shop for breakfast, and then hit up the Rijksmuseum and Van Gogh Museum. Then we went to another coffee shop and to a Thai restuarant, where I ate the most amazing Pad Thai of my life.
After dinner we found ourselves in the red light district. It's crazy. The hookers are just standing there on display in the windows, and as you walk by, they look right at you and kind of follow you with their eyes like those creepy portraits in the haunted mansion. All I could think about was their mothers. Later we went to a bar and I fell asleep at the table. Then we left, first stopping at Burger King so we could eat french fries on the way home.
Sunday we did a canal tour which was fun, and then we sat in this place called Cafe Chaos for like two hours and drank hot chocolate. Then we went to the Anne Frank house, which was really cool. It really brought the story to life. Then we went to another coffeeshop, and then to a Mexican restaurant for nachos and tacos. By then it was starting to get dark. We spent most of the night hopping from place to place, first to an awesome jazz club and then to a series of really homey bars. We got hungry again around 1am and stuffed our faces with some shoarma.
Sunday morning, after sleeping in our LUXURIOUS 4 person room complete with handicap shower, we got on a train to Lisse and went to the Keukhenhof gardens to see the tulips and the windmills. It was so colorful and beautiful, and there was this awesome organ playing eerie Dutch carnival music at the entrance. The garden is huge and has a hedge maze and some really cool sculptures and art installations scattered throughout. Also, in one part, there's just a field of bean bag chairs for people to chill in. My camera died when we were halfway through the park, which broke my heart, especially when we were walking on these stepping stones in a pond and a giant flock of swans swam over to us and started pecking at our feet. They were so beautiful, I could have gotten some incredible shots. Oh well, I guess I'll just have to be old fashioned and remember it.
After the garden we went straight to the airport (2 hours in advance, this time) and flew home. And then, when I got back, I met up with SHANNON OPPENHEIM for pizza cause she's here visiting with her riend Ry. I'm gonna hang out with them today. I'm so excited.
