Adam
AIM
12.11
Justin: Are you there?
Justin (Autoreply)
AIM
12.11
there's a limit to every limit.
Adam
AIM
12.11
It's Adam from Slice
12.11
sorry I've been incommunicado about the IMterview
12.11
I'll block out some time at work tomorrow to chat with you
Justin
AIM
12.26
hi adam
12.26
that's alright, i was just trying to wrap them up these past few days
12.26
i'm beat though -- i've been up since six this morning
12.27
if you im me tomorrow we should be able to breeze through it
12.27
if that sounds good
Adam
AIM
12.28
Yeah. That sounds great
12.29
I'll be doing it from work, probably around noon or so
12.29
or whatever works for you
Justin
AIM
12.29
awesome!
12.29
i should be there
Adam
AIM
12.29
good deal
Justin
AIM
12.29
or here
12.29
or wherever i am
12.29
great! talk to you tomorrow then
Adam
AIM
12.34
justin
Justin
AIM
12.34
hi adam!
12.34
how's it going?
Adam
AIM
12.34
pretty good
12.34
how 'bout you?
Justin
AIM
12.35
great thanks
12.35
so, ready to get started?
Adam
AIM
12.36
yeah
Justin
AIM
12.37
so was this your first time in amsterdam?
Adam
AIM
12.38
This was my first time in Amsterdam. In fact, I'd never been to Europe before this trip
Justin
AIM
12.38
oh wow
Adam
AIM
12.38
yeah
Justin
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12.38
how did it measure up?
12.38
what you were thinking before and then once you actually got there.
Adam
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12.39
It was perfect for someone like me, who had never been to Europe. Before the trip, I was afraid I'd get lost, get befuddled by the language barrier, or get guff from the locals for being an American
Justin
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12.40
so you didn't get too lost then??
Adam
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12.40
On the contrary, EVERYONE spoke English, it was easy to get around the Canal Belt, and everyone was friendly
12.41
It also felt very much like home for me, since the tightly packed buildings were reminiscent of New York City
Justin
AIM
12.42
yeah, i thought that it was really easy to get around too
12.42
well, new york used to be new amsterdam, right?
12.42
not that that really means anything... i guess that was a looong time ago.
Adam
AIM
12.42
Yep. And you can really see the similarities. Tightly packed buildings, cobblestone streets (which, I guess, only exist in parts of NYC anymore), and similar architecture
12.43
It was a long time ago, but in the older parts of NYC, I think you can still see a Dutch influence
12.43
And when I walked around this area: http://www.flickr.com/photos/slice/103861264/in/set-72057594071369870/
Justin
AIM
12.44
oh yeah, definitely
Adam
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12.44
It's a waterfront area, though you can't see it in the picture, it reminded me of the Brooklyn waterfront neighborhood of Red Hook, which has old brick warehouses with the big, black shutters
Justin
AIM
12.46
did you do a lot of walking around then?
12.46
i saw on your blog that you were sampling all of the best dutch food... FEBO and so on.
Adam
AIM
12.46
Hah!
12.47
I did a TON of walking
12.47
I took the streetcar a few times, just for the heck of it, but I really like to get my bearings by walking
12.48
I'd usually walk out to a destination in the morning and return by streetcar in the evening
Justin
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12.48
what were your destinations?
12.48
anything really fun?
Adam
AIM
12.49
It took about two days for me to pick out landmarks and know where to make turns. "Left at the Red Light District FEBO." "Sharp right at the Dam" ...
12.52
I had a good time at the museums. Hit all the biggies. Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh, Stedelijk CS, Netherlands Maritime Museum
Justin
AIM
12.52
the maritime museum?
12.52
i've been to the other ones, but hadn't even heard of the maritime museum -- how was that?
Adam
AIM
12.55
oh
12.55
It's the Scheepvaartsmuseum in Dutch
12.55
It was out by NEMO
12.56
It's packed with models of ships and journals and details Dutch trading with their colonies back in the day
12.56
New Amsterdam, East Indies, etc.
12.57
There's such a rich history of seafaring in the Netherlands and Amsterdam that I felt I needed to see the Scheepvaartsmuseum to take in some of it
Justin
AIM
12.57
very true
12.58
sounds like a fun museum, just imagining it
12.58
did you get up to any other interesting things? anything that you'd want to recommend to other visitors?
Adam
AIM
1.00
I also loved the Museum Amstelkring ("Our Lord in the Attic"), the Catholic church hiddeen in a house's attic
Justin
AIM
1.01
oh wow
1.01
from back when the netherlands was a protestant country
Adam
AIM
1.03
yeah. exactly
1.03
Strange parallels between that and the Anne Frank House, though the Anne Frank House was much more sobering
1.05
whereas Museum Amstelkring was brightly lit, airy, and, though hidden, still had a celebratory nature to it
1.05
I pretty much stuck to museums and walking around neighborhoods, eating in cafes and FEBOs and what not
1.06
A 20-year-old college student would have been disappointed in me
Justin
AIM
1.06
heh
Adam
AIM
1.06
Though I did try some coffeehops
1.06
coffeeshops
Justin
AIM
1.06
were they what you expected?
Adam
AIM
1.07
It took me a while to get over the stigma of buying pot openly from somone. I got really nervous the first time, and looked for the most easygoing coffeeshop I could find
1.08
I was afraid I'd do something wrong, ask for hash or weed in the wrong way, and get kicked out
1.08
Like the way you get kicked out of a head shop for asking for a bong instead of a "water pipe."
Justin
AIM
1.08
haha
1.08
they didn't kick you out though?
Adam
AIM
1.09
But then I told myself, "The people inside are ALL STONED." They're not going to care one way or another what I do or say
1.09
So then I went in and got some Northern Lights
1.09
heh
1.09
Afterward I felt confident about visiting other coffeeshops
1.10
I didn't visit any prostitutes, though
1.10
I did do the typical tourist thing and walk through the Red Light District and gawk
Justin
AIM
1.10
yeah, everyone gawks
1.10
i don't think i've ever seen anyone actually go in/come out though
Adam
AIM
1.10
I'm surprised how many middle aged American people were cruising through there gawking
1.11
I saw a couple Johns go in and out
1.11
At odd times, though, like 5 p.m., 6 p.m.
1.11
Maybe it's easier to go inconspicuously before it gets crowded
1.12
The contrasts were stark, too, between the Oude Kirk (place of worship) and the little prostitute windows directly across the (narrow) street from it
Justin
AIM
1.13
yes, that's really true
1.13
it's such a strange idea, that there is a church in the center of the redlight district
1.13
but i guess it makes sense, in some odd way?
Adam
AIM
1.14
And the fact that there'd be prostitute windows sandwiching a house in which you could clearly see a family with a toddler toddling about the ground floor!
1.14
It does make sense in a strange way that there'd be a church in the middle of the Red Light
Adam disconnected
1.14
Adam connected
1.14
Adam
AIM
1.14
oops
1.14
sorry about that
1.15
my AIM crashes randomly
Justin
AIM
1.15
oh, that's alright
Adam
AIM
1.15
I don't know if many people went to Java Eiland, but that was really cool
Justin
AIM
1.15
(if you're on a mac, use adium... it's a lot better)
1.15
java eiland?
1.15
what was that?
Adam
AIM
1.15
I am Mac. I'll see if I can install it. We're pretty restricted as far as installs go on our work machines
1.15
Java Eiland
1.17
oh ...
1.17
It's really cool
1.18
There's that set of islands out in the middle of IJ Harbor east of the city
1.19
I think Java Island used to be used for ships to dock at for unloading and such
Justin
AIM
1.19
oooooh yeah
Adam
AIM
1.19
But now, it's a tightly packed architectural gem
Justin
AIM
1.19
i think that i may have rode my bike down there
Adam
AIM
1.19
Some really striking houses
Justin
AIM
1.19
yeah, it was really pretty
Adam
AIM
1.20
They actually created new canals on the island by cutting through its short width about four times
1.20
Yeah
1.20
I like how the master planner for Java Island called for different architects to develop 22-meter sections
Justin
AIM
1.21
man, from febo to the redlight district to the harbor
Adam
AIM
1.22
Oh. FEBO was great
Justin
AIM
1.22
sounds like a great time
1.22
febo? really?
Adam
AIM
1.22
To someone from the Netherlands, it probably sounds about as stupid as getting excited about McDonald's
Justin
AIM
1.22
the little doors are really amazing though
1.22
automated food
Adam
AIM
1.23
But it's perfect for late-night benders when you need something greasy to quiet your stomach
1.23
And the automated doors are fun
1.23
Deep-fried crispy goodness
1.23
the krokette is truly a Dutch national treasure
Justin
AIM
1.23
heh -- and perfect for your blogs
1.24
yes, krokettes are really something else
Adam
AIM
1.24
Yah. I want to find a recipe for the kasesouffle
1.24
so far they've all been in Dutch
1.24
I need an English translation!
Justin
AIM
1.24
heh, i'll have to see if sebastian can help us out
Adam
AIM
1.24
Deep-fried cheesy goodness may even beat the krokette
1.25
As far as pizza goes, though, it's obviously not a stop on a pizzalover's itinerary
1.25
Too-thick slices, with little or no sauce, topped with a thick blanket of young gouda.
1.25
Bleh
Justin
AIM
1.26
bleh
1.26
i really like dutch cheese on its own
1.26
but maybe not on pizza
Adam
AIM
1.26
I did find a place called New York Pizza that wasn't so bad
1.27
True. And all the great cheesesellers and such and great bread there ... you almost don't miss pizza
1.27
... Almost
Justin
AIM
1.27
was it anything like ny pizza?
Adam
AIM
1.27
It was close. it had the thickness down, used mozzarella, and actually had pepperoni instead of salami, but the sauce was too sweet
1.27
Still, I'd have to say it beat Domino's
Justin
AIM
1.28
heh, good
Adam
AIM
1.28
So it'd probably satisfy most Americans on a pizza jones
1.28
Oh!
1.29
I loved how on KLM
1.29
on the way back somehow I got World Business Class
Justin
AIM
1.29
oh wow
1.29
lucky duck
Adam
AIM
1.29
and they give out little Delftware houses to WBC and Royal Class travelers
1.30
A flight attendant comes out with a tray of little miniature ceramic houses, each one modeled after a real building somewhere in the NL
1.30
they're a numbered series, and like anything else, people collect them
Justin
AIM
1.30
are you starting a collection now?
Adam
AIM
1.31
the businessman sitting next to me had pulled out his little KLM catalog and was looking through his "got it / need it" list
1.31
I'd love to start a collection
1.31
Especially if it meant having to visit Amsterdam and the Netherlands again to get more!
Justin
AIM
1.31
definitely!
Adam
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1.31
(There's your kicker. Heh.)
Justin
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1.32
heh. well, any last thoughts?
1.32
for first time visitors
1.32
or if a'dam does this again?
Adam
AIM
1.35
For first time visitors or if A'dam does this again: Don't worry about a thing there. They all speak English, they're reserved yet friendly, and it's easy to get around, not only in Amsterdam, but using the Intercity transit trains, too. It's a breeze to get from Schiphol Airport to A'dam, and once you're there, you've got some of Europe's tastiest cheeses, best museums, and most freewheelin' nightlife at your doorstep, no matter where you're staying
Justin
AIM
1.36
man, you should be a copywriter!
Adam
AIM
1.36
heh. i'd probably make more money as one
1.36
!
Justin
AIM
1.38
thanks adam
Adam
AIM
1.38
no problem
1.38
thank YOU and the Blogads
1.38
I had a great time
Justin
AIM
1.39
great!
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