Libacious Library

I didn't know what libacious meant until just now, but after checking Urbandictionary.com it means "delicious, energetic and fun" which actually fits quite nicely. How fortuitous.

I love the public library here. Love. It. It is located near Centraal Station on the water across from the floating Chinese restaurant. When you walk in, it looks like a mac store:

The children's section is amazing.













It also has a cafe at the top, a theatre, a museum-type section, a pizza place, an awesome DVD collection, and most importantly edgy furniture...I'm getting excited just thinking about it...

Things I am excited to do

1. Go to the USA vs. Netherlands soccer game on March 3rd. I am usually not a soccer fan, but I can make an exception this one time. I wonder if I should wear by American flag bikini to the game...

2. Visit the science museum that I pass every day. It's called NEMO and it is within what appears to be a giant half-sunken ship out on the water. It kind of reminds me of Pirates of the Caribbean.

3. Play Frisbee when it is warm. Somehow it is not the same when there is snow in my eyes and I can't feel my hands.

4. Receive the Valentine's Day package from my mom. God only knows the deliciousness it contains...

5. Make so much toast in my NEW TOASTER OVEN ahhhhhh! Making toast in a pan shall now be banned from my life.

Windy Mills

Tonight I went to Drag Queen Bingo at a nifty bar on Zeedijk Straat. Her name was Windy Mills, which naturally made me chuckle. Her drag queen traits were that she was racist, dyslexic, and drunk (not sure if the last one was actually a drag queen trait or a regular trait). One of the prizes was a toaster, which I REALLY wanted because we don't have toasters or ovens at our housing but I love toast so much. Preferably with peanut butter or nutella on top. It's just not the same on room temperature bread. Alas, I was three numbers away from winning. I almost cried when they gave it away to someone else.

After failing at Bingo, my friends and I were snackish, so we located a place to munch in the red light district. I smiled at a sex worker as we passed by, and she winked at me. I blushed. I had Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie, which reminded me of home and made me happy in general.

Van Go-Go Dancers

In case your hopes were up, this post has nothing to do with Go-Go dancers, but I thought it would get your attention.

Today I went to the Van Gogh museum. Our program gave us museum cards, so we can go to a bunch of museums for free and skip the lines. This was especially useful today because everyone and their uncle was there. In the gift shop they had umbrellas with Van Gogh paintings on them, and I'm pretty sure they had sheets with sunflowers on them, and postcard easels for Van Gogh postcards...it was all too much for me.

His paintings were (obviously) way more vibrant in real life. And the paint was really thick and shiny. It kind of looked like frosting, which made me want to lick it, but I feel that that would have been innapropriate. I was slightly disappointed that "Starry Night" wasn't there. Wouldn't you know that the US (MoMa) snatched that sucker right up...

After the museum I ate a tiny portion of tiny pancakes at a Dutch pancake house. They serve them with butter and powdered sugar. After the waitress took the plate away there was a circle of powdered sugar where it used to be. This attests to my enjoyment.

IAmsterdam

I have been in Amsterdam for a week, and I'm still figuring out how to get around. I live right down the street from a Windmill (score) that also functions as a brewery/bar (double-score). These are the things I have learned so far:

1. When you hear a bike bell dinging pleasantly, it's not because the biker is saying hello. Move out of the way or you will be squished into a human stroopwafel. But then again, if you manage to avoid the bike you will probably be squashed by a tram anyway.

2. Things in Europe are expensive. You have to pay for grocery bags (which is good for the environment, so I guess I approve) and to use public bathrooms (DISAPPROVE).

3. Dutch people are very tall.

Those are the only three that come to mind right now, but I'm sure there will be more.