Amsterdam | The Perpetual Passenger

Who needs sleep when you have Amsterdam?

This year’s annual ESOMAR Congress took hundreds of market research professionals to Amsterdam in the middle of September. If this doesn’t sound like a recipe for mayhem, you clearly don’t know the market research industry (or you don’t know Amsterdam).

Of course, as I was traveling to Amsterdam for business and was accompanied by some colleagues, I wasn’t able to take a lot of time to explore, but I certainly did my best to make the most out of my time–like not sleeping much so I could be sure to get some play time in after work time was done. To give a better understanding of how I got to know this city during my short stay, here are a few of my favorite photos from the trip:

Bicycles... everywhere!

The scenery inside an Indonesian restaurant

A little mustache party to keep things interesting

A quick snapshot of dinner at Segugio, an amazing Italian place near the city Center

Like London, I’ll need to re-visit Amsterdam in order to have a more complete understanding of the city, but my initial reactions are mixed. On the whole, Amsterdam feels disjointed, with exuberant positive energy trying to mesh with a dismal gloom that hangs over the city. There are parts of Amsterdam that were so friendly and vibrant, while other parts that seemed so very dismal – even when it wasn’t raining (which was rarely). Undoubtedly there’s a lot I didn’t get to see or do, but my run-in with one red-light alley (not the entire district), numerous canals, coffeeshops (as a spectator ONLY), and bicycles EVERYWHERE leaves me without a solid opinion.

Many drinks in Paris are served with candy as an accompaniment.
“The real party starts at 7am” (At least, that’s what I’m told).
Not all expat bars are created equal.
You’re not supposed to eat chocolate when drinking wine (aaahhhh!).
It’s not important to win every fight (I think I’m still learning this one).
A (fake) mustache is the secret ingredient to making a great party.
September in the Netherlands requires my winter wardrobe.
If you can drive in Amsterdam, you can drive anywhere.
I can still function on three hours of sleep… though I’d prefer not to have to.
Alcohol + heels + bicycles = a bad idea.
When friends are coming to visit early in the morning, set the alarm.
There’s a decent following of American Football fans in Paris!
I am not a huge fan of grappa. Yet.
If I spill one glass of wine on someone, there’s a good chance I’ll spill another. 😦
In Amsterdam, a sign reading “pin storing” actually means “We apologize for any inconvenience, but credit cards are not accepted at this register.” See the obvious connection?
In the US some of us have been taught that trust can only be given after it has been earned. The French don’t work this way.
Seeing good friends in other countries is just as fun (if not more) as seeing them in your own.
There’s a Frank song for every occasion (including, but not limited to, dancing in living rooms).
Writing notes to myself serves as an effective method for clearing my head.
When you’re really happy, even work doesn’t feel like work (but you still can’t wait for the end of the day)! 🙂

Ciao!

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