Amsterdam

For the last two days, I have been in Amsterdam. I loved Sweden, but I think Amsterdam has to win out (but only by a gnat's ass, as my mother would say) over Stockholm just because of the incredible cuteness of it.

As with Stockholm, the public transportation system here is fantastic. It has been SO easy to get around here, and get around we have! In a very short time, we have seen the Van Gogh museum, the Anne Frank house, the Sex Museum (fascinating!), had a canal tour, eaten WAY too much food, and spent some time in the red light district. I have to say, the Dutch have the right idea when it comes to deciding what to legalize; the sex workers are clean, open, and seemingly drug-free. It's just a business, like any other, and because they can be on the open about it, they can make their rules to remain disease-free, they are regulated and get tested regularly, they pay taxes, and they rarely are messed with by their clientele. Best of all, they have no need for pimps.

Of course, also in abundance are "coffeehouses," which are really places to buy and smoke dope. Again, it seems to work here, The use of illegal (harder) drugs in Holland is lower than most countries, and they aren't wasting their jail space on people who simply want to smoke pot (unlike the U.S., where 700,000 people were arrested in 2006 for marijuana - and we all complain that our courts are overloaded? Come ON, people, let's get our heads out of our bums!) Yes, Mom, I went into a coffeehouse and no, Mom, I didn't buy anything. We just wanted to see what it was like. Basically, imagine your flour and sugar canisters at home filled with pot and out on the counter for people to look at and buy; it's that way here with pot.

There are so many bicycles here that I have to look out for bikes much more than cars. Everyone rides them, and rides them FAST! Also, there are really cool kiddie bike seats for the fronts of bikes as well as the backs; again, I have pics and will upload them when I get home.

I am fascinated by the longevity statistics here and in Sweden. In Sweden, for example, the average lifespan is something like 80 years; that is far above most other countries, and certainly above the USA. HOW do they do it, considering the incredibly relationship they seem to have with cheese, cream, and eggs??? It has to be the exercise they all get, biking and walking everywhere. That's all I can seem to come up with for an explanation. In any case, I have become quite fond of having some bread and cheese for breakfast every day. I hope to God that my walking around all day is working off some of the food, because I have been pigging out! Oh well, I am on vacation and I can start eating better....tomorrow.

OK, I am off to bed; tomorrow, I go to Brussels on the first official "train" leg of my trip. Meanwhile, in a few hours Joe Biden and Sarah Palin will match wits. Well, in Palin's case, i think only one wit. She scares the heck outta me, that one. I was never really on the fence, but if I had been, my mind is made up, now. Obama for President!

Ta-ta,
Janine