My Euro Tour 2006: Dusseldorf, Amsterdam, Paris, Mont Saint Michel
We have gone to Amsterdam on the first of September by the ICE high-speed train. We have never to travel on similar before. Probably for the most of Europeans it not presents anything especial, but for us this first trip has made a huge impressions!!! Within about two hours we looked on views of Germany and Holland on a hight speed - it was fun :).- Amsterdam -
The first impression of Amsterdam - a smell of marihuana (some guys smoked directly at station), and huge crowds of people...We have gone by foot to the city centre along the DAMRAK street. We imagined where is our hotel located and we went confidently up to the Dam square. Our hotel was in the Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal street. It is necessary to note, that during all our trip hotels were very great. We specially reserved hotel in the center of Amsterdam to go by foot to all areas, but on the other hand it has expansive to us - 125 euros pear night.. But we do not regret.
Amsterdam has appeared very compact city, probably as well as all european capitals. We have never taken advantage of public transport, except for a train when we went to the Madonna's concert, but I tell about it later...
Before the trip we read about Amsterdam much, about its history...Because of limited time - only three days, we have chosen for ourselves some places which necessarily should visited, but the main aim for us was to try to experience an atmosphere of the city.
We tried to see not tourist Amsterdam. By the way, the stereotype about that Amsterdam is a dirty city and there everyone are smoked by marihuana - it's not true. I am assured that in the majority it is visitors who do not leave a tourist part of city centre and those who has specially arrived to Amsterdam for debauch...And certainly to me was sick to see the Royal palace on Dam square in dirty, because it's a very old interesting important historical place...But I did not wish to pay attention to these negative moments. From the general seen by me in Amsterdam it does not borrow even a bit of percent.
Some words I wish to tell about inhabitants, about people of Amsterdam: almost everything or the majority used bicycles. It should be expected from an old city with narrow streets, but we met a pregnant women on bicycle and womens with small children. As for me it's very good - a healthy rhythm of the nation. We also have never seen gaz stations there. Of course there are many cars, but almost always drivers manage politely with bicyclists. Once we observed a remarkable case on the canal: traffic stopped and the bridge over the canal have lifted ... only in order that a small boat has floated on the canal... It seemed to us, that if the captain of the boat has bent down a head - there would be no reason to lift the bridge...
Most of all we liked area JORDAAN (there we saw very old houses kept with 17 centuries), Southern and Northern canels. There we have not met any tourist. Barges are interesting feature of Amsterdam, and it is very a pity to me that we could not communicated with people who lives on the barge...Often there were no curtains at windows of houses...Certainly we did not break laws of a private life :) but we could see interesting interiors from streets...
We have visited Rijksmuseum. The main objective was the painting known as 'the Night Watch', Rembrandt. 2006 is Rembrandt's anniversary, and there are many posters with portrait and phrase: "400, moi?" :). Also we have visited Van Gogh's museum...
Narrow streets and falling walls are the main characteristic features of Amsterdam's landscape, like a drawn architecture from "far past"...
"Red light district" - interesting place :)...but it is very similar to a theatre... Probably in case we were visited one of the "rooms", I would tell more :) Some times guys suggested me to buy cocaine... Perhaps that's all about "Red light", well and certainly crowds of the tourists looking in each window...
People of Amsterdam are very pleasant, and it is shown not only in shops. We were in cafe where real inhabitants spend time often...It was unforgettable, friendly climate...
When we floated on the tourist ferry on night canals, we saw an amusing picture: many people float on kayaks, parents with children. Also it was fun to see youngs mens singing songs or hymns in boats floating...
And it was pleasant to wake up in the hotel under sounds of bells from the Dam square - magnificent execution..I'll never forget...
And now about Madonna's concert...
We did not plan to go to the concert. We heard about 'Confessions tour' very much, but for us it was something from a fantasy area. Besides we have left from Moscow where the Madonna was going to arrive just in that moment when we were in the Europe. I have been assured that all tickets are bought already, and to not be upset I did not think about it.
We sat in Heineken bar on the Rokin canel in the evening 2th of Septembre. We waited for approach of darkness and when Amsterdam will put on garlands of fires to make walk on a boat. And in the bar I thumbed through a magazine where I have found the article about Madonna and her World tour. I did not understand sense of clause (because of language), but I have understood that - Madonna in Amsterdam with 'Confessions tour' 3rd and 4 of September...We have talked with employees of the bar - they are very lovely people, and they have told us, that all tickets are sold, but they have given us advice to try to buy tickets in the stadium before to the concert...also they have explained in detail how to get to the ArenaA stadium.
We are very grateful to them!!! It is very a pity that I have not taken the number of fax, and cann't to inform them that we see the concert...but I shall try to find the fax through the Internet
So, next day we have arrived to the ArenaA stadium for 2 hours before to the beginning. We have defined for ourselves the sum of money which we can spend for tickets (it was necessary to cut down our budget). In ten minutes of searches we have found the person who has sold to us two tickets for real money (100 euros for everyone) He has very surprised - shocked having learned that we arrived from Russia, Krasnoyarsk...We thought that he has deceived us, because the ticket costs 96 euros...:)
We stood in a huge turn of fans, and after an hour with superfluous we have got inside to stadium. There we have waited for two hours... It was a super show. Madonna is magnificent, perfect... dance and voice, it's better to see than to read about it. The stadium has been overflown and we stood in 20 meters from a stage!!! It was great - it's all what I can tell:)I regret that I didn't taken a photocamera...After the concert we have gone to the Central station by train among crowd of fans - it was fun:) We came to the hotel at night, have been repletioning by emotions and impressions, not believe in that it happens with us.
We spend 4 days and 3 nights in Amsterdam, and now after that time I can say: " I amsterdam" :). Next day after the 'Confessions tour', we have gone to Paris on a high-speed Thalys train.
I hope, that there will be a chance in my life to see Holland again...not olny Amsterdam.
Here are photos of Amsterdam
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