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Thursday, 5 June -- Travel Day
After a last cigar and Vos at the Cafe t' Small
and a final trip up the 56 stairs to our room (the stairs, if they were
any steeper, would be legally classified as a ladder), we prepared to
say farewell to Amsterdam.
We packed, checked out and the Sherpa carried our bags to the street.
Then it was the familiar walk to the station.
We had coffee at a Burger King located in a
huge room as ornate as any I'd seen at Hampton Court. You'll be pleased to know that the splendid atmosphere did nothing to dampen the disinterested service or
lackluster fare that is the hallmark of Burger Kings the world over.
In the Hampton Court dining hall, my shoes stuck to the tiled floor,
making sounds like separating Velcro as I walked.
I can recommend the toilets at Amsterdam Central Station.
With a 3 hour train journey looming, I thought it prudent to visit their facilities.
It's a one-size-fits-all affair (i.e. no Men or Ladies sign on the
door), but the 50 cent cover charge keeps out the riff-raff and encourages the staff to keep the place tidy.
Still, that does seem a bit stiff for a precautionary pee; maybe I should have used a stall just to get my money's worth.
Amsterdam Notes:
From "Your Free Copy: Amsterdam Visitors Guide"
Pg 119 - Red Light District:
Urinating in Public: Dirty habit, always committed by
men. [Fine of 45.38 euros to be paid immediately]
Prostitution:
If you visit one of the women, we would like to remind you, they are not always women . . . If you have any problem with a girl or a pimp, don't hesitate to ask a policeman/woman, we know why you're here and you can hardly surprise us anymore.
Soft Drugs:
You can visit a coffee shop to buy a small amount of soft drugs for your own personal use . . . [Hard drugs--cocaine, heroin, LSD, ecstasy, etc--are strictly forbidden]
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