Friday 23 December 2016

The Witches European Broomstick Tour – 27th November 2016 – Day 3


Current Country / City: Netherlands / Amsterdam

Morning Temperature:  1oC

Travel Method / Rating: Trams and walking

Travelling to: N/A

Accommodation: Avenue Hotel

Day Time Temperature: 10oC

Approximate Travelling Time: N/A

Currency: Euro (€)

Steps (as calculated by phone software): 14,873

Activity/Observation: After breakfast at the hotel we went sightseeing. I requested a Gluhwein or Glogg (hot, spiced wine) much to the amusement of the coffee shop/bar owner, due to the early hour I suppose. I suspected the witches were having me on as they raved about how good it is but I was incorrect. Great taste and very warming right down to my soul. I immediately proposed to drink a lot more at every opportunity.

After 39.5 hours travelling a pressing need had arisen. I needed to make a priority purchase of shoe deodorant, and a spray on body deodorant. (These are essential items if you intend wearing shoes and clothes for more than 18 hours straight and expect others to share a room with you.)

 With the pharmacy purchases taken care of we spied an old building displaying alcohol which immediately drew our attention. We bought some 15 year old whiskey from a sour old bastard in this very interesting, ancient bottle shop. A cheese shop opposite was also visited to sample the dozen cheeses on display.


After wandering for a while, smelling pungent smoke at every corner, I realised all the coffee shops in the area actually sold weed as their main source of income. Marijuana is not legal in the Netherlands like many people think, but the police use their powers only when someone is misbehaving, and even then you can pay a small on-the-spot fine for drug possession. Come to think of it I never saw a cop while we were passing through these back streets and I never saw anyone misbehaving.


By 2pm the sister witches needed to find a sports bar to watch the Grand Prix race. We settled on a bar and asked the owner to dedicate one of his many big screen TV’s to the Grand Prix while we ate lunch and drank good beer.

 At 3pm we headed back to Centraal Station to pick up two more witches - L-Witch and trainee M-Witch. After dumping their huge packs, we recommenced our walking tour, stopping at Wijnand Fockink for a tipple.
The bar had rules on how to drink the liqueur.
 The new witches were understandably stuffed from the long flight and begged off so they could get some quality sleep.

The rest of us found a nearby restaurant with a decent menu before also heading back for our second nights well earned rest.

Broomstick Tour - Day 4

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