Amsterdam! 3

How can 10 days feel like 3 also feel like 30? 

People. People creep into your life and make your experiences seem important and give you something to miss besides canals and ham and cheese toasties. 

I met some cooooool people in Amsterdam, well Noordwijk some town like 30 miles away and even though I didn't visit half the stuff I thought I would, my bank account is empty and I need to be in a bath for about 12 years, I don't regret the holiday. 

I'm scared this post is gonna get super emotional haha. I don't want it to be but I also didn't want to make any kind of relationship with anyone else at the start of my gap year. But I've laughed so much with a bunch of crazy strangers that that wish seems a bit silly now. And so many of my friends and family back home have been messaging me that even though I feel a bit disconnected to the world, I'm definitely still part of it. 

I dunno, it was just a holiday and it's not that brave to go to a city where everyone speaks English and the climate and culture really similar, but it was brave for me.

1. For one I travelled with a friend who is the chalk to my cheese half the time and the light of my life the next. Our physical, mental and audible space sharing wasn't without its problems (she sings as she walks for example) but she was also the best person to be with because she's smart, lovely, friendly and up for a laugh. When she's not eternally "resting"... 

2. We were in the first hostel for 3 days and didn't really notice the people coming and going, though we were friendly with some girls in our dorm. When you stay at a hostel for a week you actually have to see the same faces for a while and people notice that you're there, especially if the hostel is the main hang out, so you have to be nice and chatty and stuff and this meant occasionally being called "soooo rude" because people don't understand the charm of Princess Antonia. ;)

3. I always showered first except one day where my mate actually got her lazy arse out of bed before me. 

4. You had to travel for at least half an hour to buy weed.

That's it really. I'm gonna get a lot of questions and curiosity about my holiday but it was just like hanging out with some friends in a pretty town for a few days. Going back to work shouldn't be tooooo hard but it's gonna be different actually having to socialise before 10:15 (this is when I went down for breakfast because it finished at 10:30).

Here are some pictures of human beings:

And other stuff:

Peace xxx

Amsterdam! 2

Changing hostels has been refreshing. This one is super chilled and friendly in general. It's outside of Amsterdam but the atmosphere is really social in here. Our roommates are rubbish though. A couple that treated my mate to nasty hostel sex last night but lucky I didn't go to bed as early. They're super unfriendly too omg, luckily the communal area is super chill and fun to hang out in. 

So yeah everyone in this little seaside town has just been open and chatty mainly, it's just a shame there's not as much going on as in Amsterdam. I'm still undecided on city vs rural life, but I can matinee getting bored without the quirks of the city. 

I had my first nightmare for a while last night. Apart from a few low moods, nothing seemed very problematic health wise. But if these continue I'm really gonna struggle. The vividness makes it hard to have a normal day.

Anyway, here's the Rijks Museum from Thursday:

It's a shame that it's the only museum we've been to so far and I'm not sure if it's worth the 17.50€ but they do have some beautiful collections. The fashion was so interesting for me, the beautiful evening gowns that made everyone look like a princess and my first taste of the catwalk!

There was also this interesting piece on the standards of beauty that are and have been imposed on children. I've always found it strange how children dress like small adults but that's the way it's always been, at least in this region. 

More on this holiday soon xxx

Amsterdam!

Mentions of sex and drugs, you've been warned.
.
.
.
.
.
.

This is my second holiday this year, I finally made it to Amsterdam!

Time at home flew by and I actually feel bad because my mum's told me that my kitten is very confused with my whirlwind appearance. My family can cope without me though.

I'm a bit tired, or stoned, I dunno but before I left I was exhausted. I barely thought I'd make it to the bus stop, let alone the airport (thanks mum for carrying my stuff). But here I am, in the city of coffeeshops, sex workers and bikes.

I'm here for ten days with a good friend of mine from uni. We're staying in two different hostels, the one we're staying in now in the centre of the city and another outside of Amsterdam, in Noordwijk, by the beach. It's gonna be such a struggle getting there! The stairs in this hostel are a death trap, super slim and extremely steep. Walking up and down them is hard enough, let alone lugging massive suitcases with you. We're staying in a dorm with 18 other people, but as awful as it sounds (at least to a princess like me), getting a shower wasn't a big deal and if you bring earplugs and have a little spliff beforehand, you sleep like a baby through pre drinks, snoring and possible nasty hostel sex. Literally, I'm so scared of some of my roommates hooking up, everyone's told me to expect it but I just don't want to.

First Day

Anyway, the first day was a bit of a shambles, packing the morning before flying, my hair an absolute state *cringe* and doing my eyebrows on the train. After a short flight delay, we got to Amsterdam and found our way to the hostel. I'd printed out the map but my friend had to help me to actually read it because I'm sooooo bad at deciphering directions. Then we found a coffeeshop, smoked two different types of weed then crossed the road to a bar for dinner, expertly dodging the trams and bikes. I will never everrrrr go to a restaurant that stoned again, it was kind of embarrassing staring at each other and giggling! The atmosphere in the dessert shop was different though and I ended up speaking Spanish with the waitress (no idea why tbh) and after a huge slice of caramel apple cake it was time for bed.

The Northern girls having pre drinks were super sweet and asked me if I could sleep. I did hear their cringey Ja Rule renditions, but all in all it was fine.

Second Day

Another shambles. Mainly because of my friend (@x_lolitaa on Twitter). Was brave enough to ask the people in the beds next to our if they speak Catalan and showed off my amazing Catanish skills. They were impressed by 'jo no puc hablar catala' (my attempt at 'I can't speak Catalan in Catalan mixed with Spanish) and had even heard of Balaguer, but I dunno if we're gonna be friends.

I did make friends with a Peruvian woman though and she showed us where the supermarket was. We spoke Spanglish because why not? Also my friend gave up on Spanish after one year at uni (Que pena!)

So we found the Apple Store, my friend spent €280 on a replacement iPhone and I've bought some straighteners because of my birds' nest hair. 

We might go to a Sex Show later, the Northern girls went yesterday and all but one loved it so we're planning to make the most of Amsterdam's open culture.

Until next time,

Europe's Traveling Princess,

Antonia xxxxx