Day 4
Thursday, December 14, 2023
There was only one thing on tap for the day. According to Google, it was a forty minute walk from the hotel. Naturally, I left early and took the scenic route. This is actually the street in front of the hotel.
Photography in the Red Light District is highly discouraged at night. In the early morning, it all seemed quiet.
This place intrigued me simply for the name...
It's not exactly a hotel, but something referred to as a "squat." They're exactly what you think, squatters. They move into unused space, then declare themselves independent from the state, and the independent nation of TAKLAND. They're part of a network of squatting groups around the world. You can read about the hotel on the organization's webpage.
I'm generally not one to promote cultural stereotypes. But, the one about bicycles turns out to be completely true. Walking through the morning rush hour involved significantly more bikes than cars. A pedestrian certainly needs to keep on their toes.
The morning walk would eventually bring me to the Vincent Van Gogh Museum.
Van Gogh was born in the Netherlands in 1853. At the age of twenty-six, he decided to dedicate his life to being an artist. His desire to learn took him to Belgium and then France. Sadly, ten years after making the decision, he committed suicide. There are plenty of websites trying to diagnose his mental illness and not all agree.
After leaving the museum, I walked a little further out, just enjoying the first dry day in the city.
Occasionally while out walking, you see something you never expected. Case in point, a sanitation truck emptying garbage cans. Each can has a handle on top. The truck stops, a claw is engaged and the can lifted over the back of the truck. The bottom of the can opens and the trash comes out. But, here's the thing, the can is taller than it appears on the street. Only the dark gray piece is above ground. The light colored section is below, greatly increasing capacity. Oddly fascinating.
In the busier parts of the city, lanes for cars and bicycles are clearly marked. However, the rules don't seem to apply to these vehicles. Numerous times I saw one hop the curb and drive on the sidewalk to beat a traffic light. I also saw them park perpendicular to the curb, squeezing in between two cars parked parallel to the curb.
Sunset in Amsterdam hit around 4:30P, while I was still working my way back across the city. Yeah, it felt a little weird that it was so dark this early.
I did walk back through the Red Light District. With very little foot traffic, very few women were working. Half seemed to be trying to engage with the people walking by. The other half were just staring down at their phones.
Walking the three blocks back to the hotel, I once again saw a very large police presence. There was a protest march coming up the street. Considering they were chanting in Dutch, I had no idea what was happening.
And I definitely had no idea what was up with this guy...
I asked at the front desk. They're protesting the fighting between Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza and it's a regular occurrence.
Day 5
Friday, December 15, 2023
The flight home was scheduled for 12:40P, this time on Delta, my third airline of the trip. There was no rush. From the short walk to the train station...
Once bags come out of the X-ray machine, they either come down the one conveyor belt indicating they're fine, or another for additional screening. Most bags needed additional screening. The agent giving my bag a second X-ray was staring at the screen an uncomfortably long time.
Then a agent had to go through it. I unzipped the top. He asked what was in the white plastic bags. Dirty laundry. After removing most of my clothes from the bag, he found what he was looking for, an Umbrella.
He unsnapped the strap and seemed confused there was no button to open in. I told him it was old school and had to be opened by hand. After opening it, he inspected it and couldn't seem to get it folded back up.
Then he said I needed to open the pocket on the side of the bag. That's where I shove maps and receipts. That and my car keys. He seemed interested only in the keys.
As I was repacking my bags, I did ask what he was looking for. Apparently, people have been trying to smuggle goods while rolled up in their umbrellas. As for the keys, he wanted to make sure it wasn't a knife.
From there it was another line. Once up front, you slip your passport into the scanner and get your picture taken. Hand your passport to the agent for a stamp and you're good to go.
Seen walking through the airport...
Aways back, I found myself on a list. Not the No Fly List, but a list none the less. This meant my checked bags were often "randomly" searched and from time to time I wasn't able to check in on line. I started carrying my passport for domestic flights as a second form of ID.
As you can imagine, that gets old quickly. I filed some paperwork with the Department of Homeland Security to get off said list. I got a nice letter back, complete with a Known Traveler number. Six years ago, I filed for Global Entry. This was being processed during my last trip out of the country. Today, I got to use it for the first time.
There are four kiosks in the Atlanta airport. Wait your turn and the machine takes your picture. That's it. Easy
David
12/23
PS: I'll be headed right back out on the road. This time it's back to the Georgia Coast for Christmas.
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