Amsterdam, The Netherlands – 07/02 – 07/03 “Where are you from?” “Berlin”.

(Michelle) Since Laura extended her trip a few days and we were so close, she wanted to check out Amsterdam. We took the train up from Bruges, but had to sit on our bags most of the way because we had forgotten that most of the campers from Rock Werchter were taking the train up from Brussels and it was full by the time it reached Antwerp.
We got lost on the many “side” streets looking for a recommended restaurant and decided it best to take a cab to find one of her friends from work who we were to meet up with. Our cab driver was very impressed that we new the words to Billy Ocean (our favorite Ocean) ‘ s song “Suddenly” as the three of us belted it out in the cab along with the radio. The cabbie asked us if suddenly he would wake up in love… we can’t answer that question my friend.
Laura’s co-worker brought two friends and we all had a nice time over some drinks in the busy “Nieuwmarkt” area. After they left, the three of us decided to check out some of the other local establishments. Surprisingly, given the reputation, we were surprised to find that most of the bars in Amsterdam close at one. We were able to locate a bar that was open until 3, but the clientele was a bit questionable. At the start, we thought it was kind of strange that a guy who seemed homeless was allowed (and possibly encouraged) to enter the establishment periodically to finish leftover drinks that were sitting around. While TJ was distracted talking to some new friends from Puerto Rico, Laura was getting the serious stare down from some guy from the entrance. Laura tried to shake him by going to the bathroom. While she was gone, a really drunk couple in their 40s, and showing a lot of skin, started dirty dancing around the pool table (and on the pool table and in numerous other places around the bar). When Laura came back, it seemed the freaky guy staring her down was gone, so we went to the entrance to get a breath of fresh air and to get out of the way of the dirty dancers. We were wrong about the freaky guy and out of nowhere, he approached us and indicated that he had been checking her out and he had to know where she was from. She might have answered the question, but before she had a chance, the previously mentioned homeless guy enters the picture out of nowhere and answers “Berlin”. Freaky guy thinks that homeless guy knows where we are from, so he continues with Laura, “oh, you are from Berlin?” But once again, before Laura can’t respond in time and homeless guy says “No, I am from Berlin”. He continued to add enough confusion to the situation that Laura and I were able to escape. We couldn’t stop laughing as we tried to recreate the confusion of the Berlin conversation to TJ. Laura is now officially from Berlin.
Unfortunately Laura left us the next day, but she promises to meet us again for a Thanksgiving feast in SE Asia!

(TJ) As soon as noticed that the girls had left to go outside I knew it was trouble, it would only be a matter of seconds before some of the creeps that were inhabiting the bar came over to hit on them. When I looked up I was correct, I saw what was happening and I came over to them and said that it was time to leave as I proceeded to drag Michelle and Laura away who were laughing hysterically.