Berlin Bound

Auf Weidersehen Amsterdam! Yesterday was eventful because I ate a Cheese Pancake. There are pancakes joints all over Amsterdam and I needed to try one. I was secretly hoping for a giant Red Lobster Cheddar Bay Biscuit frisbee with syrup on top because I am a simple Midwestern girl, but the cheese pancake was much closer to a saucer of cooked cheese. Imagine an extra cheesy pizza minus tomato sauce and bread. If you can get past the amount of cheesiness (no problem), it's good? Kinda? I put some syrup on it out of curiosity and that was no good.All in all, I really liked Amsterdam. I could envision myself living there. It's so small; you can walk pretty much end to end in 30 minutes. And perhaps there are some more Amsterdam stories for another time.

Today I spend 6 hours on a train to Berlin. I imagined Europe a lot smaller than this. Like Amsterdam to Berlin should be 2.5 hours TOPS.

Yes We Heineken!

I awoke this morning, snug in my hostel bed, and peeped out to Vondelpark all gray and covered in snow, inviting me to stay in my little hostel bunk. But no! I have a JAM(sterdam)-packed day planned. Sarah, my Portland friend from the London hostel, has joined me in Amsterdam! She shall be my partner in crimes and taker of photographs. First up? The Heineken Experience! Site of the original Heineken Brewery, and now home to a very well-produced Heineken museum-ish. I even successfully poured my own beer with appropriate technique and foam. New profession, found!

I'm so obnoxious

Lovely Sarah learning to pour a proper Heineken

Heineken Logos

Then we strolled over to the Hermitage Museum, which is the temporary home of the Vincent Van Gogh Museum during renovations. No photos allowed, but I was quite impressed with their Potato Eaters, as a former art history student and current lover of potatoes. They also had a wing of Impressionist works. Then a tram to the Anne Frank House. It was wonderfully well done and I highly recommend it to anyone in Amsterdam. Sarah and I then went

Alive in Amsterdam

After train hopping through half of Belgium, I successfully arrived in Amsterdam! But first, here's the train station of Antwerp.

Antwerp Train Station

Amsterdam is lovely! I got in around 6pm on Friday, so I strolled around near my hostel and actually went to see Django. Rick Steves said seeing a movie while traveling is ok, so you aren't allowed to judge me. Let's look at some cute Amsterdam.

Amsterdam looking picturesque

Pretty Canal.

Amsterdam at Night

On Monday I went to the Stedelijk Museum, the modern art museum. I loved it. They had a great amount of graphic design works as well. I made a big list of designers I need to look up. Really well done too. I always feel a bit "lost at sea" with contemporary art, but the SM had really accessible write-ups that definitely helped with context. They had a huge retrospective on Mike Kelley, so I immaturely enjoyed seeing my last name all over the place.

Neon Coolness

A striped selfie

Less Than Perfect

Mike Kelley exhibit

KELLEY SQUARED

Today I went on a walking tour and I'm planning Anne Frank house tomorrow.

Staying: Flying Pig Uptown