Monday, June 12, 2006

Vacationing in Amsterdam

D and I just bought our tickets for vacation! We decided to go to Amsterdam, Brussels and Brughes this summer for our annual treat. Every year we decide on a different location in the world for vacation. So far we have been to Northern Italy, Spain, Costa Rica and the Bahamas. I chose the Netherlands and Belgium this year because I spent a short business trip in Amsterdam and I loved the city. The Van Gogh Museum is amazing and I especially like the concept of using my bike as public transportation. This is hard to do in New York as you are normally in danger of losing your life due to dooring, getting squashed between trucks, and dropping into enormous potholes. Fatal bicycle accidents are at an all time high and I can totally see why. I'm not sure why New York City isn't taking more active measures to improve the public streets for bicycle riding as it is great exercise, cuts down on pollution and allows more people to travel on the streets with less traffic. Plus, there are tons more cyclists than ever before because of increased subway fares and gas prices.

I am also excited about visiting Brughes and Brussels as they are reputed to be very beautiful. We just heard of an apartment to rent or swap in Amsterdam today from my boss at work so hopefully we can do this on the cheap (or at least reasonable as Europe can be pretty pricey). I am a little hesitant about swaps as I am not sure I feel comfortable with strangers living in my apartment especially with the weird New York City tenant laws (It could take you up to six months for you to evict the person if your swapper takes over!). I also don't want strangers sleeping in my bed. Have I mentioned I am also obsessive about cleanliness? I don't like shoes in the apartment. I bend the rules for visitors but I would feel funny having strangers tramp around the apartment in their shoes for two weeks. Who knows what they might track in? I think we will mostly likely reserve rooms at hotels. Any recommendations on hotels? Restaurants? no parmesan please =).

I will give more details once we get to our destination as I think I can swing by the internet cafe every now and then. But I may be having too much fun! If I could live anywhere in the world besides New York City, it would totally be Amsterdam. After all, New York City was once New Amsterdam. =D . We are planning our trip beginning July 1st and will be getting back in two weeks. It will be crazy next weekend also because it is D's birthday!!! I got a surprise hot air evening balloon ride in New Jersey with champagne and hors d'oevres. I'm so excited! We are also sleeping at a bed and breakfast and driving around town the next day. I am crossing my fingers and hoping D will love the present.

It is hard to keep the concentration on mundane activities when there is so much to look forward to in the upcoming weeks. As a way to procrastinate and pass the time, I have been cataloging my books on Library Thing. This site totally rocks! At least for geeks like me. I have tons of books and this website lets me enter their ISBN number or title and keep track of all my books. The best part of the whole operation is that you can look up people who have the same taste in books! Library Thing will rank other people in the order of how many books they own that are the same as yours. How cool it that? yeah, yeah, I know that I am a nerd. I feel no shame in this as long as there are other people like me out there. You know who you are!

I keep a full wish list on Amazon.com that never seems to get any smaller no matter how many items I buy. I have a secret obsession with looking up friends' wish lists on the sly. I guess it is creepy to get a surprise gift through a wish list you never told anyone about but I think it's a quirky kind of good surprise. Unfortunately, not many people I know keep Amazon wish lists. Suckers. They would be getting more presents if they did! I love giving gifts because it makes me feel good to buy something for a friend that I know they will love.

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