Cheech n Chong

Let's keep talking, let's keep walking.

     Amsterdam is more than just a city that lets you get fucked up and down via drugs and sex. It's a town of culture and beauty. It's one of my all-time favorite cities, not only because it is pleasant to explore, but the people who live there are some of the nicest I've ever met.

     And what's there to not be nice about when you live in something like this?

     And with meals like this?

Fish n Chips

     Outside the 14 Euro pricetag (and every major museum in Amsterdam has a 14 Euro pricetag, unfortunately), the Van Gogh Museum is top notch. If you don't understand why Van Gogh is so highly regarded, you haven't seen his work in person. You don't have to be a fan, but when you see his textures and colors in real life, it makes sense. There's also some cool stuff from other Greats.

Jacek Malczewski - In the Duststorm -1893-94

Those are bigass rocks.

Jens Ferdinand Willumsen - Sun Shining on the Southern Mountains - 1902

     This last one was my favorite piece. At first glance, it didn't seem all that spectacular. But there was something about it that had me coming back to check it out. Initially, I thought it was just an abstract oceanic skyline with a town set ablaze by some unknowable force. But then it became apparent that the sun was shining through heavy clouds and lighting up the surrounding hillside. Once I finally saw the entire image as a whole, instead of a strip of color and shapes stacked on other strips of colors and shapes, it knocked me on my ass. Plus, the composition is stellar.

     Bikes are everywhere. If you stay more than a couple days in this city, you should rent a bike. It's basically a necessity, and it's understandable why there is something like 50% more bikes in the Netherlands than people who live here. The entire infrastructure of the city is set up to accommodate bicycles. It's so strange.