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Sunshine79's Germany/Holland Vacation: Review & Pics
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| Sunshine79 |
Germany/Holland 2003: IN MY MEMORY!
Friday, April 25th – Saturday April 26th:
I reached Newark airport in plenty of time and enjoyed a leisurely dinner with my brother and his girlfriend. I then boarded the 747 to NL, with time to spare, and embarked on my journey abroad. The flight went smoothly and in no time at all I was walking out of the baggage claim area @ Schiphol airport smack into the infamous jploveparade himself. And I was worried we might not recognize or find one another! LOL! There he was, in the flesh, and thus began the best week of my life. Everything was just so … so…. RIGHT somehow.
JP and I clicked immediately and began chatting away. Naturally our conversations consisted of me asking 40,000 questions and making random “ooohs” and “ahhhhhs” as we passed different sights, while JP contributed an in depth history lesson complete with outright bashing of the Germans and/or all Non-Dutch. :p JP astounded me with his plethora of knowledge and his extreme patriotism. I learned a lot from him during our brief time together, the most important lesson being “If it ain’t Dutch, it ain’t much!” :toothless
We continued our banter throughout the day, getting to know each other face-to-face after 6 months of spamming one another with smileys on TA. JP was finally opening up and letting me into his world. It soon became clear that his world is eons away from mine. While making a certain purchase I acknowledged the reality of how outrageously expensive New York is and how incredibly upside down we are economically. I also learned the value of a Euro and that Motorolas aren’t just cell phones! :D It’s amazing what you can get with one Euro these days. ;) The day was full of new and exciting experiences for me; everything was a treat. I met JP’s family, including the dogs J, and later we ate at a fantastically UN-Dutch restaurant. It’s called “Caddy’s” and is one of those 50’s-style diner places, complete with waitresses on roller skates! I think JP was worried about me flipping out over the food and wanted to play it safe American-style. (Ironically, McDonald’s was just a step away). I felt guilty for being so American but enjoyed myself immensely and snagged a couple placemats for souvenirs!
After dinner we absconded to our 4-star hotel (complete with all the luxuries of home, such as individually-wrapped shower caps ;)) and relaxed. We watched a bit of crappy American playboy porn (well it’s porn to me, not them) and other exciting Dutch TV. Fortunately I was engrossed in JP’s witty comments instead of TV. As his English got better, the conversation flowed more freely. By midnight JP was singing “Nelly – Hot in Herrrrre”, mimicking Cartman from South Park and continuing to inform me about how Dutch the Dutch are. Our dinner was apparently only “half Dutch” since I paid 25% rather than 50%. Or something. I still haven’t figured all that out, save the fact that stereotypes DO come from somewhere. :toothless
Sunday, April 27th - Monday, April 28th :
The next day was still amazingly relaxed and fun-filled with sightseeing around JP’s and a little TA spamming. In the evening JP drove me to my Dad’s in Dortmund, Germany (60 Euros for gas! Sheesh…. I would be sporting a moped if I lived there, for sure!:haha:) I hadn’t seen my Dad in years so it was a strange time for me…I was a bit apprehensive. Fascinatingly enough, as we were zooming over the autobahn, we saw a dazzling rainbow arcing over the countryside. It’s sheer beauty set my mind at ease, yet when JP left me with my Dad shortly thereafter, I was surprised to realize how sad I was to see him go.
8 years is a long time, so I had A LOT of catching up to do with my dad and his girlfriend. Countless bottles of wine were consumed and the talking went on through the night. At some point I passed out and was awakened at 8:30 am to start the day with a splitting headache and a little jetlag. :sadgreen: I wanted to sleep more but, hell, I only had one week. Gotta make use of every moment! I ran around with my dad all day, shopping, visiting, and, most importantly, buying my train ticket to Amsterdam for the following day, Tuesday. Monday night was more drinks and catching up..yada yada yada.
Tuesday, April 29th:
Tuesday arrived quickly, which was fortunate. As important as (I thought) it was to establish a rapport with my father, I was missing JP’s silly jokes and relaxed manner. His real life personality far exceeds his humorous and captivating TA façade. So, ja, I was ready to party a bit with the crazy Dutchman. The train ride was uneventful, for which I was thankful, as I had to change trains and was paranoid about getting lost somewhere. :nervous: Once again, things fell into place and I stepped out of the railcar practically into JP’s arms. It was really getting uncanny how we met up so easily. (I love reading into things, eh?? ;)) Ok so we did a few things (memory blank), killed some time and then returned to Amsterdam Centraal to pick up Sir Lunchalot and begin the pre-Qontact/TA socializing. NetX and girlfriend showed up at JP’s a little later in the evening and we all sat around JP’s kitchen table drinking red bull and bullting. Or, rather, they animatedly conversed in German and I nearly fried my brain trying to keep up and understand what they were saying. I knew every third or fourth word and began filling the rest in on my own! J How accurate I was, I shall probably never know… :tongue:
And then it was finally time for QONTACT!!!!!!! W00t!:crazy:crazy:crazy I have already posted a review (http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...threadid=104504) but let me reiterate what a marvelous time I had. NetX (Harald) and GF (Manu) along with Sir. Lunchalot (Veit) and JP (JP :p) are tons of fun. They are extremely happy, laid-back, amicable people. There were no issues and the whole time was just enjoyable. The music was great, the crowd was gorgeous and I MET PVD FFS!! :eyespop: I don’t even need to say more. Hehehe. But props to JP for being able to speak... I think my voice returned later on when I was screaming my ass off during PvD’s set. Damn, still wish I could get a rip of that. :whip:
When PvD turned over the decks to Judge Jules we were ready for some downtime and returned to JP’s to rest. This was nearly impossible as there were 5 of us in JP’s room along with his dog who was QUITE jealous of me being in his esteemed position in JP’s bed. We fought a bit over the rights to that bed and, fortunately, I won. :p I guess I got a bit warm though and nearly set the bed on fire with my body heat. Hence JP later saying I was “hot in bed” which became quite the little joke between all of us. :toothless
Wednesday, April 30th (Queensday)
Although the day was slightly gray, we decided to venture into Amsterdam after a late brunch of sandwiches and whatnot. (I noticed that the GTAs used only one slice of bread – their sandwiches had no tops! :eek: !)
Since it was Queensday in Holland, the city was filled with people celebrating and roaming the streets. Fortunately it wasn’t TOO full, due to the weather, and we were able to move about freely, exploring the wonderful city. I was delighted with every step I took. The canals were filled with little boats housing groups of jovial partiers…like a “mini love parade on wasser”, as Veit said.
I finally came face to face with the reality of the Red Light District and stared shyly into windows displaying gorgeous scantily-clad women. (No pix allowed, damnit! :whip:)
I felt like a kid in a candy store; wherever I turned there was something delightful or enthralling and I could barely take it all in. At one point we saw a Ferris Wheel (one of those 6 person cart jobs) in the distance and I begged JP to take us on it so I could get a REAL picture of the city, from above. The throngs of people – TALL PEOPLE – impeded my vision. But, alas, we were pressed with time as MayDay was approaching and no Ferris wheel ride was had. L MY disappointment lasted mere moments, however, and it was time to do a little taste testing with Dutch treats. JP convinced me to eat croquet (:confused:), which was quite strange to me. It may not have been that bad, but his description of “eating from the womb” prior to the food entering my mouth, turned me off a tad bit. I still don’t know what it was that I ate, for sure, but I tried it and was awarded with ice cream! Yay! What a nice treat to end our excursion with.
http://www.tranceaddict.com/forums/...threadid=105407
Yes, the time had come to part ways with Harald & Manu and make our way to MayDay 2003!
We rushed home, changed clothes and met up with a few carloads of crazy Dutch ravers. This is not an insult as our own car was stuffed with two proud Karstadt-Ravers! Coincidentally enough, Veit and I had both gone to Karstadt* (separately) and purchased brand-spanking-new party shirts, both of the same “cool” brand of “Le Frog.” Apparently, there are no fashion police in Europe. :p:p:p
*--Karstadt is a department store in Germany and very “commercial.” I guess Karstadt-ravers there are like candy-ravers here, kind of?
MAYDAY 2003click here for AMAZING Mayday Pictures!
We finally arrived at Westfalenhallen in Dortmund around 11 pm or so. We were slightly delayed due to weather conditions, a Mickey D’s pit stop and a 3000 kilometer walk since we had to park in another country, practically (to avoid POLIZEI of course). Nevertheless, we got right in, met up with some people and took care of coat checks and what not. My first glimpse of the real MAYDAY experience came from the 4th floor balcony of the main hall. :eyespop: WOWOWOWOWOWOW! :eyespop: I was breathless…I mean, there just aren’t words and the pictures don’t do justice. SO MANY PEOPLE!! And the lights!! It was a sight to see, for sure. Before we knew it, midnight was upon us and we proceeded to the main floor for the TA meet up. The meet up went off without a hitch, as far as I could tell. There were tons of TAs in attendance, along with their gfs/bfs/friends, etc. Much hugging, hand shaking and picture taking commenced. Unfortunately, I really didn’t catch anyone’s name, but I gathered all the smiles and felt truly blessed to be part of such a wonderful family! Going overseas and meeting up with TAs really makes this whole TA experience hit you. I was four thousand miles away and felt right at home, surrounded by happy and welcoming faces. But, blah blah blah, cheese was not appropriate for MAYDAY ! And damn was that clear when Chris Liebing hit the decks and we rushed like madmen to the stage. :eyespop! Chris Liebing was absolutely mind-blowing. The happiest guy you’ve ever seen just banging out tunes like nothing I have heard before. My lazy trance-ass couldn’t dance fast enough but those German Schranzers were on point! It was pure energy, through and through.
And the energy never died. Next up was Members of Mayday (OMFG the CHILLS I got!!) and then GOD came on. GOD=Powel fan Duke, naturally. :toothless Call him what you like, he transcends all labels. And damn, seeing him play on his native ground was such a pleasure. He was the most animated I have ever seen him (yeah yeah , we always say this, but it’s TRUE! And, thanks to JP, it’s on video to prove it! Btw, I think JP might be right about DJs turning to the decks cause they can’t dance! :p lol!)
JP and I were already in front of the booth when PvD came on, hoping to say hello before the madness began. No such luck for me since the booth was so far up I couldn’t jump high enough and had to move back (therefore molesting was impossible and I was forced to accept this)! Paul came on with a boom and set the tables on fire. Everyone went nuts and we were jumping around like idiots. Somehow I ended up behind Stiffmaster, JP and JP’s 7foot friend and seeing Paul got a wee bit difficult at times. Those d00ds are ph00king TALL!! It was all good though, because I had the chance to appreciate the laser/light show and take in all the magnificence around me. Surprisingly, although there were thousands of people, there was still plenty of dancing space and not too many mangled folks causing a ruckus. There WAS this weird-ass girl in red white and blue that scared the begezus out of me, though. She had this dead look in her eye and stumbled around like a zombie. Totally freaked me out, but not enough to divert my attention from GOD for too long!
Pvd @ MAYDAY took almost every ounce of energy I had left. Partying at Qontact the night before and then wandering the streets of Amsterdam on little sleep had taken its toll and I was exhausted. I barely had enough energy to freak out when Nu-NRG came on! Nevertheless, I did my best to keep up and reveled in their unique energetic sound. They were excellent live and I was so thrilled to get the chance to see them as I don’t believe they have even performed in the US? Their sound was so clear and it was hard to believe they were live. So, not surprisingly, the combination of PvD & Nu Nrg (which is a match made in heaven) wiped me out. Next Blank and Jones came on sounding quite beautiful and JP suggested that we rest our weary selves in the balcony. I happily agreed and a troop of us made our way upstairs. We collapsed in the seats and enjoyed the colorful lights and waves of smiling faces dancing below us. It was a moment of true and complete happiness for me. Blank and Jones were blessing my ears with lovely tunes, there was so much joy in the air and I was surrounded by such warm people. I felt like I belonged…I was in awe of my surroundings and I was feeling so lucky to have someone like JP there to share it with. I just knew he felt the same way as me, even if he had been to MAYDAY before. All MAYDAY seniors can understand what an impression it makes on virgins like myself so they know just how to improve your experience. Such as seeing the main hall from above before entering below, or going SOBER in order to be more alert, aware and able to remember the night clearly J. That night…in the balcony…I felt happier than I had felt in a LONG time. It was more real to me than ever before and I wanted to explode with delight and gratitude. It was a night to remember and will be etched in my memory forever.
Shortly after those touching moments on the balcony we decided to leave. Darling Veit had to catch his train and we were ready for the (long) haul back to the car. The streets were wet and the walk was pleasant, if a bit chilly. I happily listened to the Dutch/German chatter around me and snuggled into my jean jacket. We arrived at our vehicles and Veit immediately hailed a cab. Our goodbyes were rushed and he was gone in a flash, but his imprint remains in my mind. Veit, like most TAs, is immediately likeable. He impressed me with his English and won me over with his smile. He is SO MUCH FUN to party with, always dancing and grinning and the kind of person who pops up now and then with a witty comment or just to make sure you are having fun as well. We spent a great deal of time together over those two days and each moment was enjoyable. He’s just one of those people who are so amiable that you never tire of them and, instead, are constantly appreciative of their presence. He’s cute too! :p
But goodbyes are part of life and it was time for all of us to hop in our respective vehicles and begin the journey home. Fortunately (well, no, UNFORTUNATELY) my father’s house was a short distance away and I did not have far to go. JP and Ruben, his brother, were kind enough to give me a lift. We were all pretty silent in the car. I tried to make light conversation but it didn’t really work. I don’t know what was on their minds, if anything, but I was dreading the final moment when I had to say goodbye to JP. I did not want the night to end. Soooo…I quickly decided to broach the idea of taking the train to AMS again on Saturday and spending my last night with JP, as I was flying out of Schiphol anyway. I worried that he would be busy or ready to get rid of me but he was agreeable!! YAYY!! I am the Queen of Procrastination and I was so happy to put off the goodbyes. I was still sad to end the night but thankful to win some more moments with my new friend. We said a quick goodbye and JP & bro were off zipping down the sleepy streets heading for the autobahn and, down the line, some much–needed rest.
Thursday, May 1st:
Ironically, as exhausted as I was, sleep evaded me. My body was weak but my mind was still on fire and I laid in bed for hours replaying the night’s event before I finally drifted off into a fitful sleep. I awoke early afternoon to the patter of raindrops on the windowpanes. I spent the day at home with my father, catching up. Since I barely know the man, we did A LOT of talking. And A LOT of drinking as well! I seem to have developed a taste for sparkling wine called Sect (sp?) – it’s reminiscent of cheap champagne. Fortunately, the alcohol content is quite low J So I spent a lazy day chatting it up (as I do so well) and ended it with a dinner of “pizza mit pepperoni” which turned out to be Pizza with little jalapeno peppers! :whip: ! Silly me. Should have ordered Salami!! :p
Friday, May 2nd:
Friday I awoke to sunshine streaming in the window and birds chirping. It was a gorgeous day but the first thing on my mind was TA! I needed to communicate with my friends FFS! Fortunately, my dad was willing to drop me off at his office and I spent a few hours browsing the forums and checking email. Then it was off to my cousin Philipp’s in Dortmund Zentrum for a little social gathering. I saw family members I hadn’t seen since I was in pampers and I met some new people as well. As is customary, we drank and smoked and talked. AND TALKED. AND DRANK. AND TALKED. By 5 am I was wasted and my cousin and I were getting all emotional, talking about my mom (he remembered her so well, it was great hearing stories about her) and other family matters. I would have liked to go on forever but I knew I had to spend a little time with my dad the following morning before leaving saying my final goodbye to him and heading to A’dam. I hopped - okay stumbled – into a cab and passed out the minute I hit my mattress, shoes/clothes/jewelry/contacts still on. Hehehe.
Saturday, May 3rd - Sunday, May 4th (the END):
Saturday morning arrived too damn quickly and I had a rough time getting my act together. By the time my father and I bought my ticket to A’dam in Dortmund, I had only an hour before the train departed. Sadly, I was a bit hung over and stressed and it wasn’t well spent. To be honest, I was a total bitch to my dad and our last moments were strained. I jumped onto the train without looking back. I was looking forward, however, to an evening with JP. As always, JP was right there waiting when I got off the train and I felt relieved when I saw him. Things were so tense and strange around my dad; with JP, it was like coming home. It was just easy and simple and felt right; as though he was a friend of many years just picking me up at the station, like always.
I immediately relaxed in JP’s presence and we drove back to his house. He made me a delicious strawberry sandwich (is this Dutch cuisine or just JP’s sweet tooth, I wonder?!) and we talked a bit, played on the computer, etc. Then we made a mad dash for a local coffee shop so I could take a pic of their “products” for all my stoner friends in the States. Hehe. On the way back home we passed an eatery labeled “New York Style Pizza” and JP & Bro swore this title was apropos and their pizza tasted JUST LIKE it does in New York. Now, HOW they knew this, I am unaware. Last I knew, JP didn’t fly and they hadn’t been to NY before. Anyhoo, I had to find out for myself. I was pleased to find that they knew the meaning of pepperoni but NY style pizza it was not. ~~Unless you consider Pizza Hut New York style~~. It was still pizza though, and it was good! The tira misu for dessert wasn’t half bad either! (All diets were thrown out the window days earlier, obviously!!)
After dinner JP and I lounged around watching tv and looking back on the week sharing happy memories of our experiences. I closed my eyes and two seconds later it was 5 am and time to get up. My flight left at 8 am and we wanted to have breakfast at the airport. I was sad the minute I opened my eyes. I felt, I don’t know, like heavy. On the way to the airport the sun was just rising and it was gorgeous enough to lift my spirits a bit yet sadden me at the same time. Holland is a beautiful country.
Once at Schiphol, we checked in, ate some terrible Burger King (still no diet – gotta take advantage :toothless) and grabbed some snacks for the plane (COOL AMERICAN DORITOS!! Can you believe that name? They are the same as what we call Cool ranch). And there. It. Was. the final moment. Goodbyes are never enjoyable, as we all know, and this was no exception. I didn’t want to go. Yet there was nothing left to say. How could I put my feelings into words? There was just no way to express myself in a few brief sentences. The hospitality that JP & family bestowed upon me was so very meaningful to me. I felt like I was LEAVING home, rather than returning to it. There really AREN’T words to express myself. I am so thankful for JP and I hope he was able to comprehend my sincere gratitude.
A week later…and I still live in my memory and smile to myself over all the wonderful moments. The afterglow ignites me, searing through my veins. I am back in New York living the day-to-day life but I left a piece of me in Holland and this story is FAR FROM OVER!
FUN FACTS/anecdotes/tidbits:
--JP kisses his dog.
--ICE must be _requested_
--Do I need to mention the Mayo on the fries? I have always detested that!
--Peeing in the street, or anywhere, is O.K.
--JP drives at ridiculous speeds yet slams on the brakes for small animals, such as ducks (JP: “I only break for Paul van Duck
--Smoking is PERMITTED. just about EVERYHWERE!
--There is no DIET soda only LIGHT soda. (i.e. Coca cola Light) |
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| jploveparade |
| :eyes: :cool: :D ;) :) :toothless :haha: :crazy: :eyespop: :toocool: :tongue2 |
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| Sunshine79 |
McDonald's bringng the world together! :toothless
Ahhhh....AMSTERDAM.
Terrible pic of me, but please note my patriotism (I was wearing Orange for Queensday. The shirt was purchased at KARSTADT specifically for this reason and a LE FROG original!
Don't they make such a CUTE couple?? :)[
Topless Sandwiches and Yogurt drinks for breakfast! (whatever happened to cheerios?! :p
Look how TALL these people are!! :crazy: (this is right after MayDay):happy2: |
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| pyro264jb |
| Brianna just posted a magazine. |
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| kid nyce |
| amsterdam? did u poke any smot? |
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| Sunshine79 |
| quote: | Originally posted by kid nyce
amsterdam? did u poke any smot? |
actually, no. :eek: I was afraid I would not be able to handle it. I take a bong hit here and am _RETARDED_. I did not want to be under any influences during this trip. And THAT is how I was able to post a magazine. I actually REMEMBERED what happened!
I am sorry it's so long....but the account was sort of my diary and I just talk too much, what can I say?! :p |
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| Overseas |
| quote: | Originally posted by pyro264jb:
Brianna just posted a magazine. |
damn right, gotta read this tomorrow.. |
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| Sunshine79 |
My cousins & friends in Germany - typical alcoholics! lol
For my stoner friends. I will perhaps sample some NEXT time! :p
The "New York" Pizza place - but check out the tiny "SMART" car!! I could put it in my pocket!! hehehe. so cute! But how do those tall Dutch people fit in them?!?!?
Flying away :( and looking down on the beach... so sad. :(
AND!!!!.............
TOLD YA it's NOT over!! Part II begins June 28! WAtch out HOlland! I am staying a full week!:toothless :toothless :toothless |
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| Aya Brea |
| quote: |
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wao....
looks and sounds like you had an amazing time, i am jealous :D |
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| Zewad |
| yo,.. what a great review,.. i usually dont read posts that are long but i just started reading and didnt stop till i was all the way through,..:D,.. wow you sure did have a great time,... i am quite jealous!! :) |
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| Shamez214 |
| quote: | Originally posted by Zewad
yo,.. what a great review,.. i usually dont read posts that are long but i just started reading and didnt stop till i was all the way through,..:D,.. wow you sure did have a great time,... i am quite jealous!! :) |
i feel the same way. long posts just arent my thang. but that was a good review bree. makes me want to go there BADDDD |
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| KLINGKLANG77 |
awesome review....
ja one can piss anywhere in amsterdam if your a guy. i LOVED THE PIC of the pot. awesome pics....b |
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