Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don't, or Finding A Room In Damnsterdam.

I can't believe it is almost a month since we have entered anything in the blog.  I guess this is to be expected since we have been busy doing other things....like finalizing stuff.
OK, now I am really panicking.  The panic I was feeling in January when we decided to book our plane tickets...?   Minor.  This is that gut-wrenching "I-haven't done-my-homework-and-I-have-an-oral-presentation-today" sort of panic.  It is because now that it is nearly time to go, in my typical procrastinating fashion, I realize how much I still have to do to be ready.  Or do I?  Are there things I am worrying about that don't really have to be done?  Could I just pick up my backpack and leave?  Perhaps so.  Maybe I don't have to clean my closets. Maybe if the garage is still cluttered, it isn't the end of the world. Maybe I don't have to have a pair of brown pants, and I can get by with the brown skirt I already have.  In any case, we are about out of time.  ARGGGGGGH.

So, what have we really accomplished during this extended period of procrastination?
Following where Becky left off, somewhere in the English Channel between Newcastle and Amsterdam:

Amsterdam. Now known to Becky and I as "Damsterdam".  I am sure it is a great place to vist.  You even have your choice of smoking friendly places.  You realize of course, it isn't nicotine they are friendly toward.  And then, most of the cheaper hostels/hotels are either in or very near the famous Red Light District.  Not that it wouldn't be interesting to see, but I am not sure I want to live there, even for one night, primarily because of the noise levels.  I understand there is a very strong police presence, but I can see between the "coffee shops"(actually places that are licensed to sell pot, and where you are allowed to legally smoke, even on the patio), and the tours to see the ladies of the night in their lit up windows, there could be a fair amount of traffic noise.

I thought somewhere along the line we might have one night in a nice hotel, rather than the low end in which we are staying, but I really didn't think our most expensive stay would be in a hotel in the Red Light district of Amsterdam, right across from the train station.   So why are we not staying in a cheap place, like a hostel?  Well, although we both take reviews with a grain of salt (Becky takes less salt than I do), there is a limit on what is and is not acceptable. 

Acceptable:  cheap, steep stairs, 4th story attic,  no breakfast, share room with 20 other people (male/female/both), shared bathroom (I expect with the same 20 people), no air conditioning/heat, no view, away from town, not pretty...

Not acceptable: cockroaches, bed bugs (I know they can be found even in 5-star hotels, but combined with other wild life, no), rats, mice, black mold, dirty mattresses, drunks, clouds of smoke, noise all night, vomit (see drunks), etc...and those were the €30/night hostels and also included all the lovely things in the above "acceptable" catagory. That is a per person, per night, per bunk €30+ price. $42-43 each.  I think Motel 6 is about $60 per room, and does not come with roomates. Of any kind.  Except maybe bedbugs.

So, we are staying at a place that is considered a 3-star hotel, and has an 85% approval rating from prior guests, and we are paying €129 ($184 for the two of us) for a twin room with bath (I think).  It IS right across from the train station, and considering our train in the morning is at 0700, that is a good thing.  They will also arrange a breakfast for us to take with us, since we miss their breakfast buffet,  and it has a 24 hour check in. 



A-Train Hotel-Amsterdam

 Part two will be from Amsterdam to Vienna...where Becky has to pick it back up.