Holland: Dec. 17th, 2004

{trying to call home but with no luck.}

Today we traveled from Rotterdam to Amsterdam. It was my first time on a train in Europe in a few years & lana’s first time ever. The train was packed and about 1/2 way there we stopped because of a malfunction or something. We didn’t move for like 20 mins. Everyone got off the train and then when whatever was broken got fixed everyone got back on the train. There was no room to sit when we got back onto the train because of all the extra ppl that got on at that stop. So we snuck into 1st class to get a seat and had a nice ride the rest of the way.

Once we got to the city we walked around a bit confused for a while. The tram schedules and directions to the hostel didn’t make sense at first. We took a hour off from trying to figure out where to go and ate pizza at Sbarro in between Central station and the Dam. Once we ate we then figured out the correct directions and made it to the Jordon Shelter (a chritian youth hostel.) We also ate at the Hard Rock Cafe in Amsterdam. Just like we did almost 5 years ago. It was VERY cool.

The staff there [at the hostel] were so nice. We literally stayed up til past 1am just talking in the cafe at the hostel. THEN those that were brave stayed up to watch a couple of movies. It was fun, I was up til around 5:30am. *Smile* I think it might be fun to come back one day and be on staff here for a little while.

always learning,
-joel