The Sudden Trip to Amsterdam, pt. 5: Freezing Cold Night Walk #1

I think this was last Thursday night?  No, wait.  Friday.  This is last Friday.  Just a walk I took in the snow at night time when it was freezing cold.

My trains station, as usual.

Sorry about your bike.  (it's on a pylon in the middle of a canal)

Structures on the other side of the moat/river, like this floating Chinese restaurant, caught my eye and caused me to further investigate.

The library was rad.  And warm.

That's NEMO, a science museum.  But it was too late just then for science.

And at last, the floating palace.

Believe it or not, there will be more posts of freezing cold night walks.  You believe it, don't you?

The Sudden Trip to Amsterdam, pt. 4: Essential Research

In the name of food science, and hunger, I had Dutch McDonalds for dinner one of my first nights here.

First things first, everything you've been told is a lie: They do have Quarter Pounders in Holland.  No sign of a Royale with Cheese anywhere.

My dinner.  I mean, my experiment:

First of all, look at these sauces.  Chili Dip and FrySauce.

NOT the FrySauce you were expecting, is it, Utah?

Chilidip was for my shrimps.  Yes, McFriedShrimps, four for 2 Euro!  And they're actual shrimp, too.  Not a shrimp past shaped like shrimp.

Next, the McKroket.  This is an example of McDonalds being a good guest and interpreting a national dish in their own manner.

What a happy looking little puck of food.

And nice, grainy looking mustard.

And on the inside: Mashed potatoes and pieces of meat, or something like that.

And finally, the main course, a taste of the good ol' USA, the 1955 Burger.  Yes, I know, the 1955 burger!  The American class you know and love.

What is it?  A not terribly good giant burger with grilled onion and bacon but no cheese.  It needed cheese so bad.

Additional things of note: Dutch McDonalds has bendy straws.  And the cashiers are super nice and super happy Africans.  I recommend going just for the cashiers.

And the shrimp.

The Sudden Trip to Amsterdam, pt. 3: And on Friday it Snowed

Friday morning I noticed it had begun to snow.  First there were big flakes like torn bread outside the window, then it started to really come down.

No big deal, I just kept working and then tucked into my lunch.  I can still taste that wonderful waffle!  (or maybe I just taste my nightly Hotel chocolate that I just ate?)

But during lunch the snow gathered more attention around the office.

Oh.  It was getting serious out there.

Later in the afternoon, when the snow had stopped, a few of us took a stretch-our-legs walk.  See that?  It is not a frozen bush.  It is a fountain.  In the middle of a pool.  Be careful.

I met everyone at the clearly-designated meet up point.

I really wanted to walk through these, uh, things.

Rest of the group wasn't so interested.

I still did it.

This was supposed to be a picture of a local pulling her groceries in a sled, instead it wound up a portrait of one of my bosses.

We decided the Ajax Arena would be our goal.

Co-workers Josh and Francisco.

On the left, movie theater.  On the right, our train station.

Cold duck, frozen pond.  This pond.  How things change in two days!

On the left, that theater again.  On the right, restaurant or something.  Up ahead, the stadium.

Again, the stadium.

Businesses.  None of yours.

I have a favorite Dutch word.  It is "Nooduitgang."  It means "Emergency Exit" but when I read it I think "Don't Do It, Gang."

Heading back to the office.

All over the place over here there's these signs telling me to adopt a pup.

Goodbye, Amsterdam Arena.  I'll just go back to looking at you through the window at work.

Snow comet.

Look at that icon for park.  It's so chill.

This is how you keep people out of your spot.

I assume "GEB" is the Dutch abbreviation for "Taking Care of Business."

Again, my favorite word.