Spain & Holland

The last 7 days in Barcelona were much awesomer than the first one. I met my new good friends ross and Tupp in the shithole hostel. The three of us came to really like the "character" of our hostel. All of the employees (including friends they number about 20) treated you like a cousin they didn't like much that came to visit. Only one woman ever cleaned our whole floor and the kitchen (she was awesome) and the others wouold close the kitchen to take over and eat and chain smoke. It was all very nice and we found the city to be amazing and then in came the Swedes. The three of them were a whole new fun. There were nights of cheap wine and guitar jams, with a huge cloud of cigarette smoke and "de boobs" our constant companions. The boobs were an ashtray. Most nights we would come back with a pile of groceries make pasta and talk to Will from the State Department. On the last night we saw a movie and I got pasta for free because I spent my last on a Doner Kebab earlier. If you ever visit Europe or the ME hunt for Doner Kebabs and various other kebab, falafal, and pita places. Cheap, greasy fun for the whole family. On my last day I ran round like a chicken with my head cut off worrying that I wouldn't survive in Amsterdam. I found emergency money from one of my accounts and so began the process. Tram, to train, and then to the airport all having had too much wine and constantly worried for some reason. Barcelona Airport is more of a very nice mall than an airport and so (because I got there early) it was looking like a hungry plane ride. I got on the plane though and like a charm I used my incredible power of PTFO and fell asleep before take off. Amsterdam is great. Going out for absinthe in a minute with a pair of Canadians. I have already seen what feels like all the city. That has a lot to do with my missing the last tram over last night. I got in at midnight, dropped a 20 off a bridge, and then headed towards the hostel. I walked and walked. Dutch people though, even at 1 am, are soo friendly. I got directions and advice for coffeeshops, and encouragement from at least 3 people who I didnt even ask! As I got close though it started to snow. It was surreal. Alone and lost in a foreign city walking through a beautiful park with snow gently falling. Then to top it off I took shelter on the stoop of the Van Gogh museum and five minutes later I was snuggled up in a soft bed. I am off now!

Cheers