On the Loose So, Here I go!! I will add updates frequently with pic's so you can all live vicariously through me!! and join me whenever possible- Love and Peace to you all, I will miss you, hoping to be back soon with a whole new life!!

Amsterdam
Well what can I say about Amsterdam...it is all true..
I really liked the city, I had no clue from the time I stepped off the train to when i stepped back on where I was or where I was going and when I looked at the mapI only got more confused.  But that being said it was fun cause I just kept turning corners and walking and seeing more and more, bumping in to places I had wanted to see and had heard about.

I was surprised how many coffee shops and prostitues in windows there were! I knew they were here but not in such great numbers!!  I did learn of the 150 some coffeeshops in the city now,more than half will close in 2008 as the new government has issued a ban on shops within a mile of a school and for those shops that are forced to close new liscenses will not be issued;  I learned this at the Cannabis College...a very cool and informative place.

I also visited the Hash and Cannabis Museum and the open market, and most of the other time was spent meeting and hangin out with the locals and a friend who I met up with while she was in town.  Some of the residential areas were fun and I LOVED all the bikes...sooooooo cool! Last night I stayed at Hotel Brouwer on the Signel Canal and my room had an excellent view of the streets and the canal...great place to stay, only bummer is the elevator, it is tiny!! I mean like my bag and I had to hug the walls to get the door to shut!!  

I spent a good amount of time starring out the window watching all the bike commuters going home, could see them coming with the headlights on the bikes looking like little fireflies traveling along the canal.  So nice to see people buzzing by on their bikes and yelling up to friends in the houses above as they drove by and saw lights on.

My other 2 nights in Amsterdam I stayed at Sofitel Amsterdam and really enjoyed the beds and lovely shower products..a bit of an indulgence on my trip...however the thread count on the sheets at the Brouwer last night were equally impressive!!! I sleep so much sounder wrapped in lovely sheets!!!

Also got to sample the local Jenever with Kees a dutch boy, and had a nice surf and turf meal at Toro Dorado a nice steak house, no butter for the lobster! what is that?  Have a train out to Milan in the morning at 8am trying to figure out to get in allI want in Italy, thinking I need to save Venice for the spring after the cruise....We will see