Rockin' it from Holland

I've Just spent the last few days on a wirl-wind adventure around the Netherlands.
My flight landed on Sunday at 9:30 in the morning, and after breezing through customs and then waiting over an hour for my luggage to arrive I then had to come to understand the Dutch train system. I had to catch a train to Bussen, where I would meet up with Thatcher, an old roommate of mine, who was staying with his mother for the holidays. I arrive at the right train station, I'm still not sure how i pulled that off on my first try, and head over to a phone booth to try and call thatcher. After ten frustrating minutes of trying to navigate the European area code system i hear a knock on the glass behind me, and there's Thatcher giggling like a school girl at how I've crammed myself in the tiny phone booth along with all of my luggage. we head back to his mother's house just a five minutes walk away, where i get a warm welcome from his mother. After a brief introduction, Thatcher gives me a tour of the small town by bicycle and we eventually end up in the countryside at the edge of town. We soon headed back as it was starting to sprinkle rain, for a dinner of lamb, rice, and boiled vegetables.

The next morning after a quick breakfast and some goodbyes to his mother the two of us head out to Thatcher's place in Rotterdam, about an hour and a half away by train, where most of the view was occupied by sheep and windmills. A Rotterdam Central Station we caught a cab to haul our luggage back to his apartment. Thatcher had some work to get done so I did some touring of the city, the main landmark being the Erasmus Bridge which is very beautiful bridge. for the most part though the city felt very empty as most of the shops and restaurants were closed, not too unexpected as it was a monday afternoon. 

On Tuesday I headed out to enjoy my three nights in Amsterdam, a quirky city that can't seem to decide what it's all about. I checked into the hostel, The Flying Pig, and it was a very cool place, only 25 euros a night with free internet, free breakfast, and a dvd library for the big screen in the basement (a great way to chill out after spending the day walking all over the city). I didn't spend all of my time in the hostel, though I easily could have, I ended up meeting some guys from Perth, Australia and some girls from Los Angeles and we toured the city on my second day there, we saw the museum of torture, rembrant square, ann frank's house, and lots of sinking buildings. It was loads of fun and It all got me excited for my next stop Berlin, Germany supposedly the coolest and hippest city in europe, on my last night in Amsterdam I felt ready to take on the world.

I woke up the next morning feeling terrible. I was feverish with shivers, coughing with a splitting headache and a dry sore throat, I had come down with the flu. looks like berlin would have to wait, so I called thatcher and I ended up heading back to rotterdam, where I've been recovering since.