Throwback Thursday to Madrid and Amsterdam

This time next week Angel and I will be in Amsterdam.  (As long as no freaks snowstorms cancels our flights.)  Last time we were there was 2006.  Ten years seriously goes by in a flash.  It doesn't seem like that long ago.  I've barely done any research so when I started yesterday I got super duper excited!  Since today is Thursday I wanted to write a throwback post to my first time in Amsterdam.

Day 1:  This takes place from March 19-25, 2006. (I still have all of my boarding passes.)  I was 19 years old and in my last semester at Baruch College.  Angel went to Pace University and his spring break was coming up.  His friend Sameer has a dad who used to work at Continental Airlines.  I decided to play hookie from school for a few days.  Don't worry I was on top of my school work.  Angel and I packed our bags drove to Sameer's house in Jersey and had no idea what was going to happen next.  We were all going to fly on standby so we just had to pick a destination.  Sameer wanted to go to Amsterdam but I don't think there were any seats left.  I mentioned that my friend Julie was studying abroad in Madrid and I'm sure she would love for us to visit.  I was able to get in touch with her and she was super duper excited.  Just like that we had our destination.  The only problem was that there were no seats on the flight either.  Hmmm what to do?  Well we some how decided to get on a flight to Lisbon, Portugal and we would figure out how to get to Madrid, Spain once we landed.  Remember this is a time before Swarm, before Yelp, before touch screen phones, before internet on our phones.  Thinking about this now it was pretty ballsy.  Flying into one country figuring out how to get to another without any plans, any maps, nothing.  But we did it!  We took an overnight flight to Lisbon.  

Day 2: Once we landed we decided to try and take a bus to Madrid.  We had no idea how long it would take or how much it would cost.  This definitely the definition on winging it.  We found a bus company simply enough, bought tickets and that was it.  It was seriously that easy.  We got on the bus and saw beautiful glimpses of Portugual.  After a few hours we got to stretch our legs and have a nice little lunch.  We had no idea what time we were going to get to Madrid.  Julie over in Spain was waiting for us but had no idea when we would show up and we had no way to contact her.  All she knew was that we got in a plane.  Around I think 10pm we made it to Madrid in one piece!  She took us to a little cafe to grab a light dinner and introduced us to her roommates who were super nice!

Days 3 and 4: Julie took the next two days to show us around Madrid.  I wasn't much a trip planner back then so I had no idea what to expect.  We hung around the Plaza Mayor.  We saw the Royal Palace of Madrid.  We went and checked out art at the Prado and the Reina Sofia.  My favorite artist is Salvador Dali so I was happy to get to check out some more of his works in person.  Of course as a foodie  you know we had to get some paella!  Soooo yummy!  Julie also showed us around the night life.  I wasn't into all that house music back then that has been so popular in Europe since forever.  But it was cool just checking it out.  It was really nice of Julie and her roommates to be so accommodating to us for a few days.  We told Julie that our original plan was to go to Amsterdam but we just decided to go to Spain and visit her instead.  She said she totally would have just met us up in Amsterdam!  We were all like damn we should've just done that.  Right then we all decided to just book flights to Amsterdam for the next day!

Day 5:  We packed our stuff and headed out for the next few days!  We took Vueling airline which was dirt cheap!  That little 2.5 hour flight was probably one of the worst I have experienced.  There was no turbulence or anything like that.  The cabin pressure was just so extreme.  I felt like needles were being jabbed into my forehead, my brain was going to explode, and I couldn't stop crying the whole time.  Landing couldn't have come sooner.  We had finally made it to Amsterdam!  Since we didn't think we were going to end up there we didn't pack warm enough jackets and it was damn cold!  Okay the first thing we decided to do was try to find a place to stay.  I was not lying when I said everything was winged!! Being broke college students our only options were hostels.  We just started walking into any that we came across and asking if they had availability.  I believe we were turned away from the first few but then we stumbled upon the Marnix Hotel (still a hostel).  They only had room for us for the night so the following day we were on our own.  We were totally fine with that, it seemed to go along with the theme of the trip.  

Once we dropped off our stuff we went straight in tourist mode.  First stop was the Anne Frank House.  I remember reading Anne Frank's Diary when I was in junior high so if felt pretty surreal climbing up those narrow stairs behind the book case.  I could remember reading all the words and felt all the history as I was there.  It was pretty powerful.  I always tell people who are visiting Amsterdam for the first time that they have to put it on there to do list.  After we left there we went to lighten up the mood a bit and stopped by some coffee shops.  I didn't know what to expect.  There were whole menus that I of course did not understand.  This was Angel's second trip to Amsterdam so he knew the deal.  He did all the ordering. Of course after we left we were starving and ended up at a middle eastern restaurant.  All I can remember was everyone got their food and it felt like I was waiting for an hour for mine and I was serious HANGRY.  If you know me you don't get between me and my food.  

We walked around and took in the sights of the city.  It was soooo clean.  The canals were beautiful.  The people were nice.  I was in love with this small city.  The next tourist spot we hit up was the Heineken Experience.  I am not a big beer drinker but I definitely wanted to check this place out.  I had heard it was super fun.  It did not disappoint.  They gave us all these Heineken tokens and we could redeem them for pints throughout the tour.  I could barely get through one.  When you leave the factory everyone gets a free mini pint. Super cute!  I'm sure I still have mine somewhere.

I remember we had dinner at a delicious Italian restaurant.  Don't ask me the name I have no idea.  These were the days before Swarm!  I specifically remember not being able to choose between two dishes so I ended up getting both. Ha! Yup #fatgirlfoodie since day one!  Someone had the idea to pick up mushrooms for the night.  I remember at the store they had sooo many different kinds and all these different potencies.  It was overwhelmingly and a bit scary.  We ended up going with Mexican mushrooms since it was for beginners.  We went back to the hostel to eat them.  Let me tell you when you open the pack there were about 20 fresh mushrooms with blue mold on the bottom of them.  I think the pack was meant to be eaten by one person but we split it between four.  I probably only ate one or two of them. I couldn't stomach the taste.  Mushrooms are one of my favorite foods, but this was absolutely gross.  Eating the mold was...ugh there were no words for how nasty it was.  I couldn't eat anymore.  I know Julie felt the same way.  She hasn't eaten mushrooms since.  Since we were newbs we had no idea that we were supposed to eat them on an empty stomach!  With me eating two full dinners there was definitely no hallucinating for me.  Julie and Sameer said they did trip out a bit and did not enjoy it.  After a long day of tourism and debauchery we called it a night.

Pretty much the only pic we got in the RLD

Day 6: Our butts had to find another hostel to stay at.  We found one easily enough, but it was completely different.  At the Marnix Hotel we had 2 separate private rooms with bunk beds but this one was a room with 20 beds laid out next to each other.  Easily enough though no one else rented a bed in our room that night.  We all  went to a coffeeshop shared some space cakes and headed over to the Van Gogh Museum.  We were just staring at all the paintings in deep appreciation.  At some point in the day we wandered into a supermarket and came across the dessert that would change all our lives....the stroopwafel.  Gloriously thin waffles with caramel in the middle.  Even though they are pretty common here nowadays thinking about the first time I encountered these bad boys makes me drool.  Don't worry Julie I promise I'll bring you some home next week!  At night we went to check out the infamous Red Light District.  We walked around for a while.  There were drug dealers every few feet offering to sell cocaine and who knows what else.  I know prostution is legal there but I felt so bad for all the women in the windows.  Everyone talks about the Red Light District like it was so cool and fun.  I just remember it feeling very seedy and grimey.  Once we had our fill we grabbed some huge waffles and headed back to the hostel.

Day 7:

Time to head home!  It was an awesome trip on the fly.  Compared to the way my trips are so meticulously planned nowadays writing this posts makes me realize sometimes the funnest part of traveling is in the discovery of the unknown. So many awesome memories!  Can't wait to relieve and create new ones next week!

It's the Thought that Counts

This past Friday I had a business lunch and girly catch up with my good friend Katelyn.  She surprised me with this memory box she had seen at Michael's a while ago.  She said once she saw it she thought of me and had to get it.  She said it wasn't a big deal, it was only a few bucks.  But to me I don't care that it costed next to nothing.  It seriously is the fact that she thought of me on a random day.  She obviously knows that I love traveling!  It was so sweet and I am so thankful!  Thanx Katelyn!!

Poconos in a Pinch

So my first official getaway for the new year was a quick weekend getaway to Mount Airy Casino in the Poconos.  My friends Chris and Roz wanted to get away with their kids and a few friends to celebrate Roz' and her son Jack's birthdays.  They all took went in their car and Angel, Allen, Christine and I went in my car.  We stopped The car ride wasn't bad at all.  Life has been keeping us all busy so it was nice to catch up in the car ride.

We stopped at Shop Rite to pick up snacks and drinks for the night.  When we got to Mount Airy I was pretty impressed with it.  I have gone to the Poconos a million times since I was little and I have always stayed in one of those time share type villas.  I felt like I was right in Atlantic City.  Roz had a nice spacey suite next to our room.  It was so nice just to lounge around, sip some drinks and catch up with friends.  It was so relaxing, we wore sweatpants and leggings the whole time.  No make up, no heels, just good times.  The hotel was really strict with checking IDs.  If you were going to eat at a restaurant you had to wait for someone to personally escort you and anyone underage to and from the restaurant since you had to go past the casino floor.  Every time you left the floor and went back you had to be IDed.  Even if they saw you 20x.  I mean I was only there one night so I wasn't bothered but I could definitely see how that could be annoying for families if they were staying there for a whole weekend.

After a few hours we all got dressed and headed to the Get Wet Ultra Pool.  Which by the way was really really nice.  I forgot to pick a bathing suits so I just lounged around in a day bed along with baby Ava since she was too little to go swimming.  She was such a sweet baby.  Not one peep the whole weekend.  I was even able to put her to sleep.  We stayed until the pool closed and then got ready for dinner. 

We ended up eating at Guy Fieri's restaurant.  Let me tell you if you don't eat meat there are not too many options on that menu.  Which I didn't really care but it was just a little shocking to me.  The table got nachos and truffle fries to share.  I went with a blackened pasta.  It was supposed to have chicken with it but I substituted it with the only vegetable side dish they had.  They were totally cool with the substitution.  All of our food portions were HUGE!  We were definitely all in the food coma when we were done.  I was so bad I couldn't keep my eyes open.  I knocked out for the rest of the night.  Everyone else knocked out too but they were able to rally and make it down to the casino in the middle of the night.  I went for the full night's sleep. 

Photo Credit: @Chriscruz24

Baby Ava in all her cuteness!

The next morning we were heading out.  Angel and I had previously plans to attend the New York Times Travel Show.  I didn't want the tickets to go to waste so we agreed to make it for the last two hours of the day.  Angel and Allen went downstairs to squeeze in a little morning gambling.  Honestly I have no idea if Angel won or lost that weekend.  I stayed upstairs to get a little extra QT time with Roz, Christine and the kids.  

We all went to Hickory Valley Farm Restaurant for brunch.  I had been picking at my pasta leftovers all morning so all I had for brunch was mozzarella sticks.  Which by the way you can never go wrong with.  All the portions were huge again.  Everything came nicely presented in big skillets.  I tried to keep my appetite down but Roz shared her French toast with me and it was damn good.  

From there we parted ways with Chris, Roz, Jack and Ava who were staying a few extra days.  It was such a good time I wish we could've stayed a bit longer.  Thank you Chris and Roz for setting everything up and taking care of everything.  You guys are the best.  Can't wait to make more memories with you guys again in the future.

Photo booth at the Travel Show.

By the time Angel and I made it back to the city, found parking ten blocks away and then made it the Javit's center we were DEAD effin tired.  We were so glad we went for the last two hours.  We could barely pick up our feet.  We walked around for a bit.  I'm glad we didn't end up going super early because it wasn't as fun as last year.  I wanted it to be a bit more about the countries and the cultures but it mostly tours companies trying to sell you stuff.  Blah.  After that Angel and were so exhausted we stopped by Spa 45, one of our fave massage spots in the city.  It was sooooo worth.  It felt so relaxing and amazing.  Totally worth it.  Made it back home in time to watch the Golden Globes and that was a wrap on the weekend!