Bjorn Again

On my final day in naughty Amsterdam I visited the Van Gogh Museum, which was very exciting (and I´m not being sarcastic). To see his most famous works in real life is quite a surreal experience. Of course everyone gathered in awe around his yellow sunflowers painting and his large and impressive 'The Potato Eaters'. There were also a few paintings there by my all-time favourite artist, Paul Gaugin, which made the visit to the museum that much better. In the evening I checked out a couple more coffee shops with an American dude that I met, who is annoyingly patriotic, loud and, even worse, a fanatical Republican - the two of us naturally enjoyed some healthy debating over (cough, cough) coffee.

The following day I ventured to the northern Holland city of Groningen, where my Dutch mate, Bjorn, lives. It was awesome seeing him again! He gave me a little tour around the city, which was incredibly cute. The old buildings, cobblestone paths, canals, outdoor cafes and markets gave me the impression of walking through a postcard or featuring in a fairytale. He also offered me some traditional Dutch cuisine - raw herring covered in diced raw onion - great tasting but I am sure not so great on the breath. At night, his mate came around and the three of us got stuck into a bottle of rum and waited until the sky outside darkened (which was at about 10.30!!!) before heading out for a night on the town, on bikes of course. We paid a visit to a few typical student hangouts and concluded our night (well, by this time it was morning) at my first ever foam party. It was an amusing way to spend my last night in the Netherlands.

Now, after a six-hour train ride through both the Dutch and German countrysides, which are absolutely adorable, I am now in Berlin. I have not long been here, but, judging by my first impressions, Berlin seems like a heaps cool city. It has such a vibrant feel to it. Apparently there's a lot to see and do here so I intend to spend the next couple of days seeing and doing as much as my Euro stash can afford before heading off to Munich.