Isabelline Penguin: Missing Amsterdam

I'm not sure exactly why, but lately I have been feeling especially nostalgic about the trip to Amsterdam I took in September 2009. I may not be as well traveled as other people, but there is something really special about Amsterdam that really makes me want to go back. I try to discourage myself from visiting the same place twice if it is a big trip. Really, we only have so many trips to make in a lifetime, so I want to try and see as much as I possibly can within that finite number of experiences. But I still plan to go back. And for all of those people who dream about how wonderful Paris is: well, I've been to Paris. And I prefer Amsterdam by far to Paris.

If it weren't for that whole inability to speak Dutch thing, and if Amsterdam weren't so far away, I really would love to just move there. Everyone rides their bicycles instead of driving - they have entire streets or large sections of streets only for bicyclists. Actually, one thing I love about it is that it is a relatively small city and everything is pretty close together, but it still has the city feel. It probably doesn't hurt that some of my favorite and closest international colleagues from my job live in the Netherlands. One of my Dutch coworkers even brought me an Amsterdam calendar for 2011 when we met up in Buenos Aires!

Literally I think Amsterdam epitomizes "quaint". It's so cute, it shouldn't be real - so many old buildings, canals, little boats, hole-in-the-wall shops... But then the people are all so friendly. The smell of marijuana coming from some of the "coffee shops" can be a bit annoying if you are in the wrong area, but it's easy enough to avoid.

Even the bed and breakfast that Michael and I stayed in during the first part of our trip was just so memorable. The house seriously had the steepest stairs I have ever seen. It had the cutest kitchen, and the purveyors were so friendly and willing to give advice about our stay.