european adventures (part I)

So I'm posting now so that I can get this update off my shoulders, but I know that it's going to be published in two days. But here are something tidbits from the first part of my trip...

So on the way there I was getting onto the train in Köln with my bitchpack and I guess I seemed a little bit frazzled and I had my seat all picked out and I realize the bitchpack won't fit on the shelf above me so I go a little further down to get more room and as I'm about to lift it I realize one of the straps is stuck in the seat so I pull and pull - in fact I pull so much that I am sweating and have to take off my scarf and jacket because I'm sweating so badly. Eventually after everyone tries I give up and the guy sitting in one of the seats who has been watching this whole thing go down for about 8 minutes hands me a pocket knife so I can cut the strap. Thanks...that would have been great about 8 minutes ago when I asked people if they had a knife!

Amsterdam we went to the Ajax experience. It seems that the europeans love to shove marketing down your throat so that fans can get really excited about it and everyone else can gain the mentality that the product is supreme. It was kind of fun though. We got to go a some virtual drill simulations which actually worked out better than I expected.

We walked through the red light district on christmas day.

It didn't seem very christmassy there though. Like in north america everything seems very over saturated, but here you would not have been able to tell otherwise.

I'm very happy because in Amsterdam my mother noticed how everyone stares at me!! My dad thinks I must look like a european celebrity - clearly that's not true

I climbed the dom cathedral in Köln - the worst part was being in the bell tower when it rung - I was scared more from the anticipation of being scared! We went out for Kölsch after which is the local specialty - I may even go as far as saying it's one of the best beers I've ever had. Then accompanied with dinner I had schweinerhaxen, or pig's knuckle. It was SOO big, and really fatty, and extra tasty!