So much to write!

Wow! I haven't written in a long time! This is going to be a novel. Ready?

I've been sick all weekend, but I didn't let it get in the way of having fun with Billy and hopefully he didn't catch my germies.

On Friday I spent the day cleaning the apartment (we switch off every other weekend) and watching Alles is Liefde while I waited for Billy to arrive. The trains are still a little messed up from the Belgium thing (if you don't know what I'm talking about, use google :-b), but they're getting back to normal. Billy arrived about an hour late, and I picked him up from Centraal Station.

We went back to mine for a bit and then went out exploring. We ate FEBO and french fries with mayonnaise from Chipsy King. We walked through the Red Light District (which Billy found mildly horrifying) and generally explored. We came back pretty early, watched British QAF for a bit, and went to bed because we had to get up at 7 for our trip.

Saturday morning, we got on a bus with the other Americans and left for Urk and Groningen. Urk was really, really cool because it seemed like the Dutch version of where I come from. It's a small, fishing town. The people there used to be (and still are) very religious. The town is very old and has a lot of history. We went into a restaurant for tea or coffee and cake. It was really yummy! Then we had an interesting--though way too cold and wet--tour.

The most interesting piece of Urk folklore we heard was the story of where babies come from. Many peoples have some version of the stork story. Urk, however, used to be an island, so the stork couldn't make it all the way there. Instead, there's a big, black rock you can see from the shore. When it's almost time for the baby to be born, the father rows out to the rock with the midwife and purchases a baby from inside the rock. Male babies cost much more than females.

So yeah... after Urk we went to Groningen. Groningen is a very cool city. I really liked it because it looks very different from Amsterdam, but it's still beautiful and quite interesting. We took a boat tour of the city, and then had a couple hours of free time. Billy, my friend Josiah, and I wandered through the markets and then checked out a free photography "museum." All I'll say is it's a good thing it was free! It was a small gallery full of pictures of hipsters (if you don't know what a hipster is click here). The hipsters at Oberlin do better work. Oh well! Then we wandered around the city and looked in shops and stuff. At 5:30 we had dinner. There was bread, salad, french fries, yummy cheesy vegetables, AND THEN the meal. Billy and I both got the sword fish. It wasn't anything special, but it was pretty tasty. Desert, however, was amazing. The choices were warm apfelstrudel or dame blanche. Billy got one and I got the other and we split them. Mmmmmm!

On the bus back to Amsterdam, we watched a movie called De Tweeling. It's a WWII movie in both German and Dutch (with English subtitles). It's really, really sad, but really good. We didn't get to the end, so I ordered it on DVD from Amazon.co.uk. That's how good it was. They sent it today.

Saturday night, Billy, Billy's friend, Andreas, and I went out. Some of my friends were having an 80s-themed party so we stopped by for a bit. Then we went out to a bar/club. 'Twas very fun. We were out very late (clubs here are open till 5AM).

Sunday we went to the Sex Museum near where i live. It was cute. Then we walked to the Dam (big square) to get herring. The herring carts were closed, but there was a big stage and booths and stuff set up by the Socialist Party. Municipal elections are tomorrow, so all the parties have been out, handing out information and free stuff (if you pretend to be Dutch). The SP had live music going and free soup and sponges shaped like tomatoes. (Tomatoes are their symbol. You can read about it here.)

After our soupy apetizer, we went to a cafe for lunch. I got a cappuccino and an ossenworst sandwich. Mmmmm ox sausage! Billy got a ham toasty. 'Twas very nice.

Then we went to the Van Gogh museum. It was very cool. He only painted for 10 years and the variety of styles is incredible. There was also a Gauguin exhibit downstairs.

After walking around in cold rain all day, I was pooped (remember I had a full-blown cold that I was denying very hard at this point). We changed into warmer clothes at my place and walked to the store for groceries. We made burritos with onions, peppers, beans, and ground beef. Very, very yummy! Then I passed out in a heap and Billy went to meet some friends.

Monday morning I had 9AM Public International Law. We had a sort of midterm quiz thing. I think I did pretty well. I got the grade on my first graded assignment. It was a 9.5! That's crazy good! Nobody ever gets 10s. Or 9s. 6 is considered good. :-)

After class, Billy and I made another attempt at herring, but all 3 carts I knew of were closed again. I think something might be wrong with the herring industry. like the herring equivalent of a red tide? I don't know anything about this stuff, but I want my fish!

So Billy and I went to my favorite market, the Dappermarkt. We ate fried fish and then went to McDonalds for a McFlurry Stroopwafel. I know better than to go to Mickey D's abroad, but it's cool cuz it's all Dutch foods! They have bitterballen and worst sandwiches and stroopwafel mcflurries! Don't judge!

Once Billy left, I finally stopped denying the sickies and went to bed. Hopefully I'll be better soon. I definitely sound worse than I feel right now. My voice is gross, but at least my teachers believe I'm genuinely sick.

I'm very happy because the last two days have been super sunny and much warmer. It's like as soon as March happened it started to turn into spring. Don't want to jinx it though. But I didn't have to wear a coat at all today!

Today I slept right up until I had to go to class. After class, I did TONS of work cuz I was so well-rested. I went to what I call the McLibrary (or the McDonaldsbrary). Yup, you heard me! McDonalds two days in a row. I'm not ashamed. You can get a little ice cream cone for 50 cents, and then go up to the 4th floor and sit and do work. There's free wifi, AND no tourists. I think all of the tourists are told that only lame tourists go to McDonalds in foreign countries, so none of them actually do. That's my theory. Anywho, if you got this much reading done today, you'd understand.

Now I have to go to Albert Heijn and buy toilet paper. Then back to bed.