Amsterdam :: 11 – 16 April

Day 1 – 11.04.2009 A missed flight

We arrived at the airport 1hr before our flight. Got through fast check in then had a bite to eat and went to security check thinking we had all the time in the world. Just as we passed through security, our gate closed and we didn’t know which gate we were suppose to be at. We ran all the way to the closest gate we could get to and asked someone where our gate was and if we could still get on it. They said we couldn’t as the doors had closed and the flight was about to take off. They said we had to rebook for the next day since there were no more available flights.

what the fuck. i have never missed a flight in my life. i cant believe my first group trip and i missed my flight. we managed to transfer to another airport which had an 8am flight but it cost us an extra £38. So added on to my £88 flight ticket and the train rides back and forth from the airport, this is one bloody expensive budget flight I’m taking.

So after that with nothing to do, we headed back to Angel. Dropped off our stuff then me, Tian, LJ and Chris went to Chinatown for a drink and some pool while Chris fished for players on his racing game. After that had dinner at Young Cheng and while LJ and Chris decided to go back for more racing, I left with Tian back to Angel for some sleep. We would need to wake up at 4am the next day to make it to the airport in time so we wouldnt miss this flight as well.

 

Day 2 – 12.04.2009 Zaanse Schans

After arriving we took a train to the church to meet Sam parents whom were going to be hosting us for the next couple of days. After meeting them we went and sat the Easter church hearing.

After the church hearing we walked around Amsterdam and Sam’s parents treated us all to a lunch. We were originally going to go to a Chinese restaurant for dim sum but the place was full. Instead we headed to this expensive shopping place to eat.

  

After the hefty meal we took the role of tourists and went to Zaanse Schans. I call it The Windmill Place. We took a ferry there and enjoyed the view.

 

After the long and tiring walks, we headed back to Amsterdam for dinner at Humphrey’s Restaurant. For a 3 course meal it was €22. I had escargot, gambo prawn pasta and ice cream. :) Tian had carpaccio, entrecote and chocolate fondant. MMmmmmm…

 

 

 

To end off the day we had Sam’s friend’s boyfriend recommend us a good place and we got a joint of skunk and smoked it in red light district.

 

Day 3 – 13.04.2009 Tulip Farm

Took a train then a bus to the Tulip Farm. The farm was gorgeous. All the different flowers were so perfect it was unreal. If you wanna see more flowers, check out my facebook album and this too..

 

The tulip farm was huge and all our feet were quite sore from all the walking once that was over.

For dinner we had a huge meal made by Sam’s parents’ restaurant the Golden Valley.

Day 4 – 14.04.2009 Amsterdam

It was a free day and we took this day to explore the city with Sam’s friends, Mai and Anita.

We visited the Sex Museum.

 

 

We had fries and mayonnaise.

 

Wanted to go Heineken brewery but it was closed so instead we went to Bar Ca so the girls could have something to eat.

 

After that, we went to eat dinner and then went out to enjoy more of the Amsterdam night life.

 

 

Day 5 – 15.04.2009 Beach

We went to a beach near Schagen (Sam’s place) to enjoy the sun and to cycle for a bit. It was really fun but the water at the beach was freaking numbingly cold.

 

 

For dinner we had all you can eat sushi and then went back to Schagen so Sam could spend more time with his parents for the last night. We needed to finish the rest of the joints and the muffin, so we went outside to sit as we ate the muffin. Later Sam’s friend helped us get out for a breath of fresh air as we finished the last 2 sticks of pot.

The muffin had NO kick. Maybe its cuz we were sharing it, maybe we were conned. Whatever the reason, it was a disappointment. The two sticks had a nice kick to it tho. The gold/silverish top was pure pot and the green top was skunk which is a mix of tobacco and pot. The pure one obviously had more kick.

Day 6 – 16.04.2009 Last Day

We thought our flight was at 6.30 but it was actually at 9.30 so in the end we had a whole day to spend instead of an expected half. We ended up just roaming around Schagen and then going back to the restaurant where Tian read his book, Chris and I wasted time, LJ slept and Sam and Cheen went out with the parents.

And that was it. The end of my really fun journey. Our flight got delayed for about an hour so I arrived back in Harrow at 00:30 London time and fell straight to sleep.

 

Clare’s Visit

Clare left today to go back to Essex. Hopefully she had fun in London, tho she might not have had the best night of sleep squishing in one single bed with me. She was here from Thursday to Monday.

Thursday – arrived in the afternoon and then hung out at my place and catched up. then went Four Season for dinner with Tian.

Friday – went South Kensington for some Keiko sushi. After went Westfield for a shopping spree. I got some stuff at La Senza. Oo lala ;) after that we met up at Paddington for Bonda Cafe with Tian as well.

Saturday – decided to become tourists and went to the London Aquarium. Saw lots of weird fish we’d never seen before like the upside down jelly fish. very cool. after that had fish and chips at a nearby store. We ate that at around 6 but we were too hungry too care. From there we walked to Victoria and then took a bus to Oxford Circus. Had Assa at Tottenham Court Road with Joyce and Tian.

Sunday – woke up in the afternoon again, went to ASDA to buy groceries that came back for Clare to cook for us :D Clare cooked steak with broccoli with chicken and mash potatoes. Learned how to mash potatoes from her and how to make steak. hehe yay! :D it was deliciousss~ Had it with Joyce and Tian as well. one of the best meals I've had in a while. Had sponge cake pudding for dessert all while enjoying Bolt. Shoulda took pictures :( pity… I will next time :D kekek the NEXT time we make her cook :D

Monday – I had a dentist appt so I headed there while Clare headed to Marble Arch for some shopping. on the tube there we realized that she forgot her phone charger, so after my dentist i met up with her, and we came all the way back to my place to get her phone. Then about 3, she went off to Liverpool St Station to go back to Essex. and she has. now.

 

the end :)

Time for a New Layout... Soon

Right.... Too many people have complained the font on this page is too small and I have realized that the column width is too narrow as well making it hard for my pictures to be big and high reso-ish...

SO! I am on a search for a new layout. I'll change the current one soon. :)

G20 Protest Finished with a Movie

I went to the G20 protest today as an observer with Tian and his colleague. The place was packed with people and the whole bank station was blocked off. From the angle I was at, a fight even broke off. Unfortunately (?) I didn’t get to see any bloodshed. But Tian Han managed to see a woman get shoved in the face by a cop. It was so much drama. It felt cool to be part of protest, even if I had to see it from afar. By the time I got there the police had started to separate the crowd from the protesters. The city almost came to a complete standstill. A guy behind me asked the police if he could get through because he was suppose to be in court, but then wouldn’t even let him through. Though, who knows, it coulda been a ploy just to get through.

 

 

 

After standing there in the front of the barricade for awhile, it wasn’t going anywhere so I turned back to see if there was any way I could get around. And there was :D I managed to find a way in front of the barricade I was just standing at just to make it to another wall of police. Luckily this was closer but by the time I got to the front of that row of police, they started pushing the crowd back and separating us from the protesters. There is even news that they broke into RBS, but from the angle I was standing at, you couldn’t see jack shit. You could just hear a lot of cheering coming from one direction.

Here’s a short clip of just an overview of what was going on… nothing special from my video taking skills =.=

G20 Demonstration, London

 

 

Can you spot the Joker?

 

At one point the police sirens came from one end and the entire crowd shifted their attention to the other side of the road and everyone rushed that way. Me not included, but Tian was there. He saw that a fight had broke out and he was part of it for awhile too!! He quickly ran away though. Check out his photo album in Facebook to see.

There was even helicopter coverage. I’m sure it was news, not police haha.

After that, nothing much happened that was overly exciting there except for the RBS break in, but we didn’t know how to get into there and would probably be blocked off. So we went our separate ways, Tian’s colleague home and us to Leicester Square for lunch which was dim sum :D

After dim sum, we went for my first movie experience in London at Leicester Square Vue. Every Wednesday, Orange (my phone network) offers 2for1 movie and pizza. So me and Tian went to watch Knowing starring Nicholas Cage. I enjoyed the overall plot, but the stereo system in the cinema was deafening. Other than that, the seats were comfy and we managed to smuggle in Sainsbury snacks to enjoy :D

p/s Stemming from Sharon’s idea. I’ve decided to watermark all my pictures too :)