Last week, I had my first ‘hits’ on Steemit with my posts on "poker" and "bad reputation" which together earned me some $350+.
I cashed out around $250 worth of Steem Dollars, and used the money to surprise my girlfriend with a trip to Amsterdam, Holland as a gift for her hard work.
All the while, we will represent Steemit on our trip!
Why Amsterdam?
For many years I have heard people speaking about how amazing Amsterdam is; the "Venice of North Europe". It is romantic and fashionable, land of the Nutella' waffles (my girl and I love them). It is the home of Anne Frank (info), Van Gogh & Rembrandt as well as the Heineken factory.
Getting to Amsterdam
After 3-hours sleep, we were ready to go by car to London Luton Airport where our trip was beginning. 7.30 am our flight left London to reach Amsterdam in less than 1h. Once we were in the airport we bought the "3-day ticket" that is a cheap way to move in the city and from/to the airport (I suggest you to buy one of these tickets) and in only 30 minutes we were in town.
First day of sightseeing
The first thing we did was going to the hotel to check-in and leave there our luggage. Then we were free to visit the city and the canals. Amazing city! We did walk all around the city centre and we stopped for lunch in a Wok and Walk, a restaurant chain that I know from England that is serving noodles with few sauces (we love oriental food). In town there was a gay pride 2016 and there was a lovely parade in the canals.
In all the streets between canals you can find a lot of Steakhouse restaurants and Italian's restaurant so after few hours visiting the city we stopped in one of these drinking unknown beer and eating a very nice and well cooked beef steak. After that, completely tired for the day had, we went to the hotel planning what visit to do the day after.
DAY 2
Anne Frank House
The life of a Jewish girl of only 13/15 years forced to hide at home for not being captured by Nazis. In that house were living many people, windows were walled up and there was a secret access behind the library.
Forced to eat for months expired food rather than don't come out and get caught and deported from that uncomfortable house...so Anne Frank began to write all her frustrations in her diary.
This hiding was safe for 2 years until someone betrayed them. They've been taken and transported to Auschwitz-Birkenau where unluckily everyone died except for Otto Frank, Anne's father.
Having visited Auschwitz-Birkenau this house made be feel the horror of a young poor girl of 15 yrs that instead of being outside playing with her peers, she's been forced to hide for years trying not to die.
ZAANSE SCHANS
Right after we took the train and we gone to Zaanse Schans a surreal town with windmills where thousands of tourists comes to see every day. Just when we arrived, we've been assaulted by a strong parfume of chocolate that wind was bringin with it. The little town was great, and the houses remind me The Hobbit
During the tour around these houses they made us sit in a cheese factory where they explained us hpw they make their own cheese, and they offered us a piece to taste it. Very delicious, expecially the goat's cheese.
While I began to talk with the guy whose was offering the cheese, I asked to make a photo that I wanted to post on the internet on steemit, and he answered right away, yes, but you have to buy a piece of cheese!
This photo costed me about 30 euros LOL
Find the intruder LOL
After we got back to Amsterdam for some shopping, in the evening we gone to Red Light District since we were curious to see these "windows".
Men of any age going in and out from these places like if they were in a supermarket. Too bad it was impossible to make pictures but I wanted to show how beautiful some of them were, others were less beautiful...and others were ...well...transgender, beware of what you are looking for!
DAY 3
Heineken Experience
Yesterday we had only couple hours available left before the departure and we had to pick what to visit between Van Gogh, Rembrandt and the Heineken museum.
By a great lover of beer, Heineken had the advantage so we've been directed that way to visit it.
They explained the process of making the beer, which ingredients and they let you taste even some beer.
I drank more than 1 liter of beer and we gone to the airport happy of our trip.
Ending of the trip
We've been happy that steemit gave us the opportunity to visit this beautiful city, the less we could do was talking with people about the new social network.
If you are wondering if it's true that there are drug shops or if it's easy to buy some weed, answer is yes, you find that easily from the smell of marijuana and it's so strong that you can smell it from everywhere, in the centre streets, on the trains, busses...