And There Off!

This morning my sister and Alley left to go back home. last night we had such a wonderful time at Club Zoo. Me and sis went out and painted the place red. It was my first time clubbing with my sis and I must say, you have to carry a tazer to keep the boys off her.
Today, I met two of the funnest people I have met this whole trip. Danny and Ang. I met them at this great little sidewalk cafe in Soho. We had a wonderful conversation about life, love, and the persuit of happiness. Its so nice to be able to connect with people and share parts of your lives with one another. I have been so floored with all the people I have met and conversations I've had. When I leave here it will truely be as tho I am leaving a peice of me behind, and in return, I will take a peice of all that is Europe back with me. I feel so connected here. It's as if life exists on a completely different energy plane here. One which my body seems to be very receptive to. It will be very sad to leave but I bring back with me kind words, new experiences and hope from people all over the world. How powerful a feeling, to live first hand, the way the world views what was America, and what America can become. Im so very excited to be alive and aware at this vital and volitant time in History! Viva Humana!

Cheers all.
until next time.

LONDON

OK. Im Here! I arrived as scheduled around 6 p.m. yesterday local time.  London is very beautiful and again, very different from the other places I have seen.  Last night I searched the city high and low for a place to stay, and as they say, "seek and you shall find".  So from tonight until the end of my trip, Ill be staying at the Picadillo Hostel.  Nothing too exciting to report.  Last night I tried to take the girls out for a night on the town and they forgot their id's... so instead, we had a night in on the town :) No Problem.  I found a nice little cafe in a super market that has internet so hopefully I can get some pictures of all three of us posted (I can take a photo with my computer cam).

 Experience #1: Last night we got all dolled up to go out and as stated above, no go.  But, we did get a taste of our lack of fashion for the night clubs.  So we all decided we should wash our best clothes so they were fresh for our night out tonight.  The girls went off to some place today that I couldn't get tickets too, so I offered to take the clothes and wash.  I found a little launder mat and there is where my story begins.  I didn't have any change, and I was in a neighborhood area so the closest business to ask for some was two streets down.  So i walk to it and ask the gentle man for some change.  Its a small taylor shop and apparently the guy owns both the launder mat and this shop.  He barks at me in very broken English:

"WE DONT HAVE CHANGE, IF WE WANTED TO GIVE OUT CHANE, WE WOULD INSTALL A CHANGE MACHINE!!"   

I ask him if he didn't provide change then how does he expect people to use the facilities.  But anyhow, he provides me with 5 pounds change and informs me thats all I get and to put everything in one wash bin because I wont have enough money to use two!!  So I abide, and shove it all in one.  Half way through my wash the machine stops and is locked so I cant get my close.  I walk all the way back to the taylor shop and tell the man the situation, and he sends a lady down to help me.  She examines the machine very close and tells me to get it to finish its cycle i need to insert another 2 pounds! I look at her and think very hard about the correct words to use.  Finally, they come to me:

"With all do respect Ma'am, THATS BULLSHIT!"  

I tell her I want her to release the door latch and I will take my sopping wet clothes elsewhere.  She says she cannot do that, but that she will "try" to reset the machine.  She does and my clothes finish ... then I go to dry.  Half way through my dry cycle, Im sitting writing out a card, and a man tries to use a dryer that is appearently out of order.  She barks:

"THAT ONE NO WOK!"   and casually picks up a basket opens my dryer, pulls all the clothes out and throws them on the floor and then she says to the man, 

"USE THIS ONE" Im livid at this point and tell her those are my clothes and ask what kind of business these people are running.  I demand that she put my close back and that if there not dry by the time that the timer goes that she will pay for them to finish drying.  She just stares at me and i say 

"IM WRITING YOUR CHOP SHOP UP ON TRIP ADVISER!! AND YOU BETTER PRAY NO ONE READS WHAT I WRITE.  AND YOU SO MUCH AS TOUCH ANOTHER ITEM OF MY CLOTHES AND IM REPORTING YOU TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU@!"

Luckily she didn't respond by saying thats the BBB is only in America.  I would have felt very stupid.  

Alas, My clothes are cleaned and after sharing the story with two beautiful Brazilians I met today, and now you all, I have re-reached my zen and back to good vibes.  Off to find the place to be tonight.  

P.S- Like my new white sweater I'm wearing?

P.P.S - I have one note of very sad news to report:  I have experienced my very first theft against me.  I was on the HighSpeedTrain from Rotterdam to Antwarp, and I had a very large bag with me with 5 very beautiful painting from 3 different artists.  One for Jayne, one Maureen, Anna, Sonja, and me.  All were of Amsterdam.  Two black and white and three color.  The one for Annabelle was my favorite.  It was magnificent color and the shapes were all swirly.  I wanted to be able to tell you, Anna, to hang it in your son's room and there he could have his first view of life outside America.  Anyway the train was not so packed.  And i had to use the restroom so I bunched my coat up over them and went to tinkle.  When I returned I thought nothing of it, and a couple minutes later, the train made a stop.  I re-situated, and was going to use my coat as a pillow.  When I pulled my coat, there was nothing underneath!! :(    I am so sorry to all that were supposed to receive them.  My heart is so heavy with grief over this.  I will have a small token from my trip for you all but please know that there was something so much more special planned.  

Update

OK, so there seems to be something wrong with my brand new, really cheap camera.  And Im really bummed out because you guys have missed some amazing things! Sunday morning I said my "afscheid" to Amsterdam.  

Onward to Leiden! It was such a fun little college town.  A lot like SLO, only much more cultured! -

did i even have to say that? I liked this town a lot.  Beautiful.  I love "The Netherlands by the Sea".  Also I saw Den Haag on my way to Rotterdam, which is where I am now.  

My trip has done nothing but progress in the best of fashions.  I found Amsterdam to be a wonderful city, But not superlative to SF in my opinion.  Minus, of coarse, the fact that its in Europe.  Also, for me, I notice that the further south I get, the people are much happier to answer questions, engage in conversations, and even look at you when you order something. 

Den Haag was no exception.  Each of these cities is but a 15-30 minute train which runs 4 to an hour.  Everything is extremely accessible.

THINGS DUALLY NOTED:

• They do not have a doggies can"t poop on sidewalk law/common courtesy  which is really shame because in places this beautiful, one doesn't usually bring enough shoes to accommodate getting used to this.
• coffee here is a quarter of the size because its 4x the POWER!!!!!!!!!!!
• People don't eat bagels with cream cheese in Rotterdam?!  Walked like 4 miles for the one store that sold them, and they didn't have whole wheat!
• A person approaching you in Vondelpark at night, while your on the way back to your hotel, is not going to ask you for direction; They're going to show you something. DON'T LOOK! It had so much metal in it, it demagnetized my room key!
• The cars here are so much better.  So much character, and there all manuals! I spent a whole day almost looking in car parking lots.  Im surprised they didn't think I was tying to plan a heist.  
• I almost died on so many occasions in my first three days its not even funny.  One time I was so scared I farted.  BICYCLES HAVE THE RIGHT AWAY! ALWAYS! and they have marked paths on the sidewalk...ON the sideWALK!!! you can not in any circumstance, walk, think of walking, breath a notion of walking, or even joke about walking on them.  You will be forced to dodge death or allow it to become you.  
• After you have one of these such experiences: Do not expect people to sympathize with the tears swelled in your eyes, or the fact that your not sure if you just peed yourself or your legs just went numb.  And further more, you mouth will not function right now to justify or apologize, so just carry on like nothing happened and get a look on your face like your life depended on the fact that you were in that heard of peoples way, hold your shoulders high, and walk in whatever direction you will see the least amount of people that witnessed.  
• Being under 26 rocks in Europe! Everything is so much cheaper.

Rotterdam is by far my favorite city so far.  I wish i had some pictures of the wonderful city I am in.  Its majestic and clean and efficient, and new and old.  It's a Harbor city so it's population is always evolving and changing.  In WWII, the center of Rotterdam was bombed and so now all that is there is new and state of the art.  The History can be found around the permitters of the destruction.  Also, because there was so much rubble, they had to crush it all and fill the canals.  So there are none running through the city.   The energy is spectacular here and I feel like a pulse in the heartbeat of something so organic and awesome!  

The only non-positive thing I have to comment on is this:

Today, I felt was a good day to try my luck.  I went to the casino today Grams! I played 5 Euros and lost so i called it quits; but it would have been nice to have been able to report otherwise.  But life could be so much worse :) 

Tomorrow...Antwarpen!

I miss you all :) Until Next time....

Ok.  So I apologize for the double video post.  Heres a fun piece of hidden art i found!
and a great falafel place!

Just out taking a STROLL ...er

WHOOSH!

WOW, time just seems to disappear here! I finally got a chance to sit down and update you all on where I've been!  First I want to bring you up to speed. Heres some short videos I found of my arrival to Schiphol Airport, and ride into Amsterdam Centre.

         

Then I got to my hotel.  Its actually really nice and the location is so central!  Im atwww.robertramon.nl.  I opted for the nicer room vs. a hostel.  Its been nice not to worry about all my stuff; Which, I brought too much of.  I hustle and bustled around the town and mainly just got lost and looked around trying to find a coat because it was so cold.  Look what i got! 

...and only 25 euros :)

While I was walking around I saw saw some fun stuff...

 

Enter Amsterdam!!!!!!

Hey all you back in the states, IM HERE!!!

I have decided two things:

1) ITS COLD

2)I Need to go buy a jacket RIGHT NOW.

Aside from all that, its about 11am here and i just plopped down in my hotel.  VERY small, but VERY nice.  And Annabell - MY BACKPACK NOR MY LAPTOP FIT IN THE SAFE?LOCKER!!!!!! Its too small :) Well i have a short vid to post then im off.

P.S I hear we start a BEHIND THE VINES the 26th! Bring in the People! ---Miss you all already

Enter Anxiety.

Crunch Time. Im so excited, yet, kind of nervous. So much has been put into this. I feel as tho I'm about to embark upon a spiritual journey, I feel an awakening is near. But to what? and when? No clue. Anyhow... I guess we'll see if that finds its way to me, but in the mean time, I leave for San Francisco sometime Sunday evening. Im going to stay with a good friend, Sergio. Here's a pic so we can all get to know each other:

The other day, Sunday I think, I went to the beach to film a little bit with my camera and do some test shots for getting it online. Heres what i shot...

and this is of San Luis Obispo, one of the first spots my rents took me, now im here with Jessie.

Genesis

Because I have so named this post "Genesis", I suppose I should clarify something.  Although "Genesis" for most means beginning, I immediately think of the new flagship luxo-sport sedan by the Korean automaker, Hyundai(Which, by the way, explains the photo of the nice nice looking car.).  However, as much as I would love to go on an infinite car rant right now, this blog is not about cars.  In fact, this blog exists to document the adventures I am about to embark on! So now we should be clear.  Although this is the start of something new and exciting, this not not really the beginning.  You see, the beginning goes back many years.  23 to be more precise.  A lot has happened from then to now, but that brings me to my point, the "now".  I am preparing myself for my first adventure in Europe! And I invite you all to join me!

  

This is ME.