Blogging at 200 MPH

Very cool... free wi-fi on the bullet train (TGV, ICE, Thalys). Just leaving Amsterdam on the way to Paris with a quick train stop in Brussels. Now passing everything on the freeway next to the rail tracks. Sign posts just a blur. I think I feel my face peeling off. Better post this and then brace for G forces.

Amsterdam Part 3

Miriam is still at her conference, so it's another walkabout day for me. Wonder what kind of trouble I can get into. Let's try car jacking...

Not many new Alfas in the US... I guess they are just starting to import them in the last year or so. But I've seen a number of new Alfa Romeo models in Amsterdam. And, in keeping with the general trend of very small cars (fuel mileage, parking, etc.) in European cities, I found this cute new Alfa.


In the Dam, the real center of Amsterdam, there's this wonderful classic building. But it's been turned into a shopping mall! Well, at least they preserved the building.


One of the shops in the mall has a very strange name. Apparently the name does not have the same connotation in Amsterdam as in the US. This store is actually part of a major chain of clothing, furniture, and housewares.


To purge my impure and politically incorrect thoughts, I stopped at this memorial on a bridge over a canal.

Engelschman was a major figure in the struggle for gay rights going back before World War II, then was a fighter with the resistance during the war. Following the war, he again resumed his work for gay rights.

Then I found this church steeple. One of a zillion, but I liked it.


For some reason, "French" fries, frites, are really big in Amsterdam. There's lots of little shops and stands that sell orders of these potatoes. Pretty good, actually, crisp on the outside, somewhat thicker and therefore more potatoey on the inside. Ketchup is extra... but then you often have the choice of about a dozen "special" sauces... probably fitting for the many nationalities in this city.


I was wandering toward an area called the Jordaan and its double vowels, since I'd read an article in the NY Times praising its neighborhood feel. Lots of small shops and cafes, and then, following my Chet Baker theme, I found this cafe.


Too bad I was busy at night. I only hope they carry on the jazz tradition.

And I found this sign in a window.


I used to feel the opposite. But as I age, I'm more sympathetic to this point of view. A discussion for another time.

And at last, a pic of the ladies in the window...


As you wander along the canals, you often run across interesting "comfort stations". Unfortunately, they are for men only (women never need to urinate, right?). This is actually a very classy pissoir. Still, an interesting dilemma between the sexes.


For lunch, I decided on yet another Dutch pancake. Seemingly an infinite number of variations available (I think the Dutch generally like lots of bacon mixed in), I chose bananas and rum.


I returned to the hotel early. So I decided to be naughty and zip around the corner to a very interesting museum.


Turns out to be a very interesting and well done museum. Tittillating, certainly, but very fun. I especially enjoyed the delicate Japanese erotica, and the B&W pics from the turn of the century. Seems people have been sucking and fucking and chomping in the same ways since the beginning of human history. When it comes to sex, there's nothing much new... but then I guess there doesn't really need to be.

Killer Bikes of Amsterdam

Yeah, we are talking horror movie, here. Bikes rule in Amsterdam. There are zillions, literally more bikes than people. Public transit is big, so many people park a bike at each station on their normal commute. Ride from home, park, hop on the tram (bus, metro, train), zip into town, hop on their other bike and ride off to work... then reverse it at the end of the day. Needless to say, bike parking has taken over any car parking. Around Centraal Station, I found all these bike parking systems...

On a boat docked off shore behind the station:


A lot behind the station:


And a totally amazing quad level parking terrace beside the station:


And everywhere else in this city. Ok, all well and good... eco friendly, green, healthy, and so on... Nope, danger, danger! There's an interesting hierarchy of transit in this city. At the top of the food chain are bikes... they rule! Below them are the trams, then the buses, then the cars, and finally, at the low end, are pedestrians. On most streets, cars and trams have their lane, the bikes have a wide lane, and what's left of the width, and not much of it (and old city like Amsterdam does not have very wide streets), goes to peds. But pedestrians are often forced out into the bike lanes by sidewalk cafes and pubs (everywhere!) or parked bikes or junk, whatever. Also, at intersections, bikes are turning across pedestrian lanes. Death is eminent if you are walking (and don't even think of using an iPod... you must hear the warning bells from the bicyclists or you die!). At first, the bells scared the shit out of me, but I've finally adjusted to automatically stepping aside (when I can). But don't space out... or you die! Watch your step... or you die! I'm serious, there's not much tolerance by bicyclists in this otherwise very tolerant city.

Our walking tour guide the other night emphasized this once again. And apparently bicyclists have a points system for plowing into tourist groups. I've never felt such vulnerability walking down the street.

Amsterdam Part 2

Miriam is off to a conference, so I'm on my own in Amsterdam. I immediately head to the Red Light District... no, no, not there... try a museum or something... Well, I'm not that much into museums or the usual tourist stuff, they are OK, but what else is happening? So off I go on a walk. The original goal was to find the Chet Baker hotel, but that was accomplished quite easily. So I just continued along the street to see what I could find.

Some amazing bars and pubs in this town. Real old world decor. And then I found this...


...an amazing Chinese restaurant sitting in the middle of the harbor area. Never could find how to get to it, but I'm sure its a fine restaurant.

Onward around what's called the Maritime area (another museum, but seemingly closed due to construction). Then I found this character...


Brak, he's called, short for brackish... apparently a Dutch university is exploring sea water agriculture (the salinity of the water in Holland is increasing). The figure is also associated with this architecture group, ARCAM... and what an office building!

And then over a canal, some neat boats tied up to shore...


Over the canal, I ran into a whole series of office buildings and apartments. At first I thought I'd entered a slum area, based on this building, but soon realized it was a metalized structure allowed to oxidize naturally. Weird, but kinda cool up close. Greenpeace has its offices in here.


Then I started to loop back towards Centraal Station. On the way, I passed the terminal for all the cruise ships (they are damn big boats!), and next door I found a way cool music hall. There are two sections, a large hall for orchestras and a smaller hall (jutting out forward) for jazz concerts.


I grabbed a flyer with the summer performance lineup. Incredible! All sorts of jazz... Archie Shepp, John Scofield, some Euro groups... I really impressed the receptionist with my knowledge of Dutch jazz legend Willem Breuker Kolleckief. Also playing, a full weekend of Stockhausen. Amazing! A full weekend of Stockhausen! Where else could anyone find such a tribute... Finally, people who understand me... If only I could understand this Stockhausen score...


Ok, so now I've found the avant garde music capitol of the universe.... too bad I won't be around to hear any of it, but thankfully people are still presenting innovative and interesting music instead of Justin Beiber.

Across the harbor I saw these buildings... I have no idea what they are or do... but kinda cool.


Returning to the hotel area, I thought I'd relax in one of the many infamous coffee houses. This one looked good.


If you so desire, it's easy to leave comments on this blog (click the button). That way I know someone is reading them. Also, I can then provide more info on anything anyone finds curious. Or just smoke some more and forget about it.

Chet Baker Died For Your Sins

Chet Baker was a very good jazz trumpet player, rising to fame as part of the L.A. scene in the late '50s. He also did some sultry vocal work, very popular with the ladies... especially since he was an extremely good looking guy. But the drugs slowly did him in, ravaged his good looks and limited his playing ability, not to mention the pressures of the music business which can suck the soul of any sensitive musician. Somehow he managed to hang on, playing into the early '80s, mostly in Europe, until his death.

But you only have to hear his version of "My Funny Valentine" or his "Songs For Lovers" CD to know what a great and beautiful musician he could be.

Why am I writing this? Chet fell to his death from an Amsterdam hotel window (or was pushed by a dealer who was owed money... the myths and suspicions continue to today). One of my goals visiting Amsterdam was to find the hotel and the small monument to his death.


At the top of this post is a pic of the plaque from the front of the hotel... and inside is a large painting representing his life.


I think its wonderful of this hotel to do this tribute. Perhaps it draws customers, but I suspect most young folks now come for the dope and don't even know who Chet Baker is. Anyway, I found it all somehow quite moving. But then we dinosaurs are moving on and out... at least Chet will live forever in his recordings.