After Amsters

Home again. A few days in Amsterdam and yet another realisation. The real, fundamental, reason for our trip was for Sam to meet up with two online buddies he had known through the game 'Everquest 2'. I have detailed events on Friday and described our encounters at the hostel, which I maintain is not a hostel, so I will not labour this.

Saturday was bright and clear. Dam square was full of opportunistic, fancy-dress clad icons; Darth Vader, Freddy Krueger, Gorillas and sexy national dress clad ladies so we took some photos.

A good morning all in all. I have been to Amsterdam, seven or eight times and have never taken the time to explore the tram-ways and squares of the city. With this in mind we schlepped off down to the train station and enquired about 24hr passes which we bought and set off to the Leidseplein to drink beer. We stayed basking in the bright, crisp sunlight of the Dutch autumn as musicians, break-dancers and wandering hawkers milled around the square.

After a couple of hours we returned to Nellys for lunch and a game of pool or two. It was at this point that Wiebe and Marjit (major apologies if I get the spelling wrong) turned up and suggested that we decamp to a Dutcher bar (if such a phrase exists). We dutifully followed the two brothers and end up at De Dokters where we drank dark Belgian beer until we were all a little drunk, except Marjit who had recently given up drinking. Some time later Sam was a bit worse for wear and it was suggested, can't remember by whom, that he return for a snooze. He staggered off possessed by some bizarre temporary homing instinct and I followed amused and curious. He found his way back to the hostel and went directly to bed, I ensured he was settled and returned to the bar to watch the football.

I sat with a stag party from Stoke and watched Stoke vs Manchester United whilst drinking more beer. After the game I availed myself of some Dutch fries and retired to the room. Sam was awake and quite ill, he had been violently sick since I left until minutes before I returned, just for a change. And so to sleep.

Sunday dawned bright and clear, I rose around eight with a hangover and decided to go for a walk as it would be some time before Sam tore himself away from his 'crows nest'. I sat with a coffee in Dam square and watched the world go by until just after ten when I rang Sam and we met up for breakfast.

The day passed gently and as our hangovers faded we revisited the Argentinian steak-house where we had eaten a fantastic meal on friday night. What a contrast, the food was almost inedible. I sent my steak back to spend some more time on the grill, medium-rare had somehow translated as not quite deceased, I am sure blood spurted when I made my first cut. Sam and I struggled through the shit fare, and as we were up early for our flight, repaired to Nellys for an early night.

We had the room to ourselves and for some reason ended up playing I-Spy for three hours. Believe me there's not that much to identify in a small, sparse room. I do maintain, Sam, that you cannot have 'green'. We eventually went to sleep and were awoken at various times in the night as co-habitants arrived and took to their beds.

Not much to say about our journey home, train, plane and car and we were back in Gosport. I went back to work and the weekend was over. All in all an enjoyable relaxing few days,no weed no red-light district and nothing controversial, but definitely NOT dull.