Day One: Amsterdam

I'm back from vacation although it was short and sweet.  Looking back I did so much considering how long I was there.  I took my time gathering my thoughts and getting my laundry together last weekend.  Now I've been getting nostalgic lately and figured it was time to share my experiences.

I was SUPER ANXIOUS leading up to my trip.  The weekend before I flew out we had a birthday party for my cousin and I saw my family.  I told them my worries.  For the most part people assume I  enjoy traveling since I've been doing it for a while.  I don't think my family was aware of how much anxiety I get beforehand.  It sort of helped talking to them but I was getting too worked up.  Luckily I packed days before I flew out so I wouldn't forget anything.  I had an evening flight so I worked that day.  I rushed home, grabbed my suitcase and off I went to the airport.

I decided to have dinner there before I boarded and took some antidepressants.  I did manage to knockout on my flight to Heathrow but when I landed I was very groggy.  I had a two hour layover and checked in with my friend in Italy.  She advised me that I should eat something before my flight to Amsterdam.  But being hardheaded as I was, I decided to have juice instead.  I was starting to get anxious again and was hoping I would sleep on this short flight too.  Luckily I did manage to knock out but once I landed it was now after 3pm.  Now I was very groggy but I had to figure out where I was going.

I had printed out my google maps with my hotel information.  Of course I didn't know where I was going but I found a train to catch to the city.  It wasn't exactly the one I was suppose to get on but it worked out in the end.  After my train stop, I knew I was off on my map and asked a lady in a flower shop at the station where was I.  She told me I wasn't far from my location and advised I take the metro to get to my hotel.  It seems I had taken a railway train to Amsterdam (but it was not costly at all; €5,20).

I managed to find the metro station and asked which train was M51 and someone directed me to the right one.  Once I got off my stop I still had to walk over to my hotel.  I walked into a cafe/bar and the bartender showed me to the right direction.  She was warm and friendly.  So far so good.  
I'm happy I chose my hotel close to the metro.  There are trams everywhere but at least I can commute my way around. 

Now it was after 5pm once I checked in my hotel.  I decided to shower up and semi get ready.  By the time I got out of my hotel it was after 6pm.  I was hungry but I knew I wanted to eat light.  Up to this point, from O'Hare to my flight food, I ate pretty badly.  I wanted to get familiar of the neighborhood, and it was now dark in Amsterdam since it was nearing 7pm.  I was hoping I could have walked around but being a solo traveler in a new city, I decided to skip the outdoor site seeing til tomorrow.  

I found a busy cafe and settled there.  It was called Coffee and Coconuts.  I used their wifi to message my friend in italy.  I settled on some spring rolls and a glass of primitivo from the region where my friend was located in Italy.  A man sitting nearby me at the bar had asked for a Tempranillo from Spain and we striked up a conversation from our wine selections.  He was very helpful giving me information about Amsterdam since he was Dutch.  He lives in both Amsterdam and Madrid Spain and he compared both cultures.  


Me and my new friend continued the evening talking and went around the corner to Volt eten and drinken.  I decided not to go to sky Lounge but stay there instead with him since I was learning so much.  He smoked so we sat outside of the bar and had beer and wine. 


Since I was still groggy, I took it easy and by midnight we said our goodbyes.  He had a 9am flight to catch in the morning and I wanted to get up early to go to Ann Frank's house.  According to my new friend; it may not be open on the weekends.  Yikes!


Speaking of yikes, when I boarded my flight to London I found a pair of men's underwear and a sock on my seat.  Yuck. I used my gloves to tuck it in the seat in front of me in the back pocket.  Well at my hotel I found another pair of men's underwear in the closet!  What a weird coincidence!  

Calming my nerves at O'hare.

Saw these at Harolds at Heathrow and I'm in love!

The wine menu at Coffee and Coconuts...

Beef brisket spring rolls...

Outside at Voltet en Drinken

We got TURBULENCE! Part 2

After a 2 hour flight, I landed in Bari airport in Italy.  It was an hour away from the town where my friend lived.  AGAIN no working wifi.  What's up with these airports?  Regardless, I was super groggy as I walked over to claim my luggage.  I had a knot in my stomach praying it would be there since I went through that crazy ordeal at Beauvais airport.  I sighed a sense of relief when I saw my suitcase.  I waited outside for my friend.  She was late, which was fine because it gave me some time to people watch.  Now that I was in Italy, I noticed the interactions within Italians.  They are much more animated than French people.  I almost forgot how they were since I've been away.   
My friend was excited to see me.  Me?  I was trying my best to stay awake.  I still had the antidepressants and melatonin in my system.  My friend drove to nearby Trani so we could have dinner, but I couldn't keep my eyes open.  "Let's walk around and find a restaurant.  You need to eat."  That made things worse.  I was dizzy and felt we were walking around in circles.  She really wanted to go to Le Lampare Al Fortino; a $$$$ restaurant located by the harbor.  It was beautiful, but I had no appetite whatsoever.  She wanted me to experience fine dining at it's best, yet I was useless.  I just wanted to sleep.  I felt bad because she mentioned she hasn't been out in months, and here I was ruining things for us on our 1st night together.  We settled for Il vecchio E Il Mare next door; a cute bar overlooking the sea.  Some light bites will do for me.  In typical Italian fashion, we ordered a glass of wine and that was it!  I was knocking out at the table.  My friend knew she couldn't save this night even if she wanted to.  She drove us back home while I slept the whole way.  I didn't even change out of my clothes.  I headed for the guest room and it was lights out for me. 

Too bad I didn't have an appetite for Le Lampare Al Fortino.  It's breath taking!

We needed reservations but I think they could have accommodated us...

Until next time!  Definitely on my bucket list!

Next door at Il Vecchio E II Mare.  Olive oil and tomatoes bruschetta..

Octopus bruschetta...

We got TURBULENCE!

I rushed out of Paris quickly to catch a train to Beauvais Airport.  My anxiety was getting the best of me again.  I was so nervous about taking this train out of Gare du Nord that I took a cab instead of riding the Metro.  I spent about 15 euros.  Not bad I thought.  The cab driver only spoke French.  I was praying he was taking me to the right station.  It's scary putting your life in the hands of someone who doesn't speak your language.  He seemed harmless though.  Once I was inside the station, I knew I was able to ask one of the attendants which train to take.  Again, they speak multiple languages, so I felt positive I was heading towards the right direction.  My train ride was over an hour long.  I relaxed a bit. 
When I got to Beauvais, I had to find the airport.  Anxiety strikes again.  I asked an attendant at the train station where do I go.  He only spoke French, but I managed to make out that I had to take a bus.  I was getting nervous again.  I walked along with other confused travelers to a bus stop.  I didn't know how far the airport was.  I ran back to the station (it was down the street) and asked again, just to make sure, and he clarified once more that there is a bus there that will take us all to the airport.  I wasn't sure how much this was going to cost.  A fellow French passenger assured me that it should not be no more than 1 euro.  I felt so alone.  I had some change with me (euros come in change too).  I prayed I had enough to take this bus.
It turned out to be 4 euros but I had the money.  Another word of caution.  I went through my cash quickly in Europe.  I wouldn't advise taking a large sum with you, but not every place has access to credit cards like we do here in the States. 
The bus left us at a small airport.  Anxiety strikes again.  I booked this flight out of Ryan Air and I had trouble printing out my boarding pass.  I followed the rest of the crowd inside.  My flight didn't leave out for another 4 hours.  I had plenty of time to relax and check in.  Or so I thought.  Here's where my French fears came to life.  I wasn't in Paris anymore.  I was somewhere an hour away.  I was in the heart of France, which we've all heard, isn't a friendly one.  I waited in line for "customer service".  I wanted them to printout my boarding pass.  The man behind the glass was expressionless.  He explained to me that I had to print out my pass.  I told him that I tried but with no such luck.  He motioned me to the left that the airport had computers towards the back and to print them out there.  I walked over to the kiosk and of course, the computers were out of order.  I asked around where can I print out my boarding pass and people advised me to go back to the "customer service" line.  UGH!  My anxiety was getting me to the verge of tears.  Not to mention, I was having trouble logging on the wifi at the airport.  I wanted to let my friend in Italy know what was going on.  She was going to pick me up once I landed. 
I had no choice but to take my antidepressants.  I couldn't calm down anymore.  I needed to talk to that horrible man again, and I knew already he was not going to be helpful.  I started to feel relaxed.  I ate a sandwich and worked up the nerve to stand back in that line.  It seemed that everyone was having a problem with something.  When it was finally my turn (after a 30 min wait with 4 people ahead of me) I explained that that the kiosk were out of order.  He looked at me expressionless again and then said, "If you would like I can print them out for you."
By this time I was too drugged up to respond.  I managed to say, "Thank You.  I would appreciate that."  He wanted me to pull up my information off my phone but I told him I couldn't because I was having trouble logging on to the wifi.  "It's not working today," he said.  No wonder!  Now he looked annoyed that he volunteered to "help me".  He had to look up my information.  He brought out my boarding pass and I tried to pay him 6 euros (which is what it would have cost me to printout the pass at the kiosk).  He refused to take the money, but then added that "you were suppose to do this."
Whatever!  I was so relieved I got my boarding pass.  Now it was time to check my suitcase.  I knew I had to pay for my luggage.  That AGAIN turned out to be another ordeal.  I had to wait in another line to check my luggage.  Then I had to GO BACK to the "customer service" line to pay that fee.  I didn't care because I  was prepared to do that in the first place.  There was another customer that was having a hard time at the airport.  She was being directed to different lines as well.  She ended up losing her cool at the "customer service" line.  She began to throw things at the window.  She couldn't help it.  I felt her pain.  They push you over the edge.  But losing your cool at the hands of their mercy is NOT GOING TO GET YOU ON THE PLANE.  That's the harsh reality.  A security woman came over to calm her down (or more like intimidate her with her size).  I finally paid my luggage fee and moved on to the security clearance line. 
I PRAYED that they wouldn't stop me for something, but I made it through.  I was almost on my flight!  A sign of relief came over me but then fear set in.  I had to get on a plane again.  A much smaller one.  Once we started to board I took 2 melatonin.  I closed my eyes and off we went...