Amsterdam!

So this weekend was the long awaited trip to Amsterdam with Nia, Zoe and Claudia! What a trip it was! Firstly a huge thank you to you three, it was such an amazing trip and it was incredible company to have. Thank you!!!!

With the bus leaving from 4 Cantons in Lille at 6:30 am, no one was awake or half ready for the journey ahead! With an estimated arrival time of 10:45 am, we relaxed into what was a half new-ish looking coach for the few hours ahead of us. With the weather becoming colder, snow had began and the roads icier than ever outside of France, leading us to drive slower and arrive later in Amsterdam (11:45am!) As anyone could imagine, cold tired and hungry girls were so ready for a Maccies it was untrue!

The scenes were stunning as we arrived, the canals weren't frozen over thank goodness and we ate quickly before starting our next adventure: a sex museum.

For 4 euros, we decided "why not" and ventured inside, when in Rome and all that. With three floors of, as Claudia said, "material", the museum was a lot bigger than we thought! Personally, it was funny in certain ways, and highly weird, uncomfortable and potentially scarring in others. But it was an experience to say the least, one none of us are going to forget for a long time; can't go to Amsterdam without trying a little culture!

   Yet I think maybe that's enough of that for a while....

Nia really wanted to go to the Van Gogh museum, something that I was also keen on seeing! After booking tickets online, we walked through Amsterdam to find the museum. January is really freaking cold, with ice, sleet and a bit of rain so it's no surprise there wasn't many of Amsterdam's famous tulips/flowers around!

 The walks around Amsterdam were lovely, a little nippy, but picturesque and the perfect place for an SLR! When arriving at the museum, we didn't have to queue and went straight in due to our tickets. I would recommend it to any art lovers, or anyone who really enjoys museums, as I learnt a lot that day. My favourite section was either the recent (only until 29 of Jan) exhibition about Monet, Daubigny and Vincent Van Gogh, their connections and influences, or the section on Van Gogh's letters (all in French so I did geek out!). It was a lovely museum, well laid out and definitely a good 2 hours of my life well spent. Thank you so much girls for taking me there!

 

My guides for the day, you heros!

  

I have to be truthful, it was a very tiring day. With the bus now picking us up at 9pm instead of 7pm to give us more time, we really started to feel the pain of our 5am starts. Fortunately we had enough time to see the outside of the Anne Frank House (so sad how long the queuing is for this place!) and then more of the beautiful night scenes of Amsterdam before eating a loooooovely Italian meal.

                                    
                                    
Arriving in Lille was a late one 00:30! But thanks to the hospitality of Nia, everyone managed to get some sleep. Thank you to your wonderful ideas as ever. Where would we be without you (not in Amsterdam anyway!)

I really did enjoy Amsterdam, but I can see it's appeal for blokes. It's a true cannabis smelling city, with many bars and many sex museums! I really appreciated the museums but it was very cold to enjoy a sit down by the canal. I think summer would be key for a visit here!! I'm also very biased, as France is always going to be my favourite...sorry!

So it's back to work tomorrow 8am starts and 5:30 finishes for the first Monday back. It's going to be a long day but it'll be fine! As for me, I'm feeling a whole lot better since my last post. I'm settled again and ready to travel, read and make more exciting plans. This week I'm seeing Vanessa and Lauren for certain, so I'm excited! I've also decided to re-start my 10km at least twice a week thing, hoping to feel some benefit again, whilst of course trying to power through reading. I've spoken a lot today to my family and this always helps the transition!

So I'll leave you on the thought that Zoe and I had today: learning to be by yourself is really hard, but we can do this. It takes time, adjustment and it isn't as easy as people think it is. I'm not fully alone, thank goodness, with living with a family, having French and English friends, and family only a phone call away, it's never that bad, but some days, it feels it, I understand that. But it's the small things on the year abroad, from learning to spend all day running errands by yourself to doing nothing but watching French TV - every little step matters. Be bold, be confident and take French life with all your force. This time next year we'll be in January exams - and who the hell wants that?!?!



JR
xxxx