Shady activities

Activities that aren't so acceptable in the US, or are illegal in most places, tend to be a little more prevalent in Europe. This is nothing new. In Prague it's the Absinthe, which you can buy in numerous countries or get it in bars. It's one of those funny things though, because you can usually own it, make it, and drink it, but not sell it.

I've heard some pretty crazy stories about people freaking out after a shot or two of Absinthe. Especially after eating a space cake, which you can get in Amsterdam. They have 'cafes' everywhere, where you can buy marijuana to smoke and brownies containing more of the same. The funny thing is, if you smoke cigarettes in these cafes, you can get fined or arrested. You can't smoke cigarettes in enclosed public places, as of sometime very recently. Funny isn't it? "I got arrested in a cafe where I was buying some pot and a space cake....arrested for smoking a cigarette, that is."

And that's not even to mention the Red Light District. I took a tour of the area, getting startled numerous times by the girls tapping on their windows to get our attention. Startling, on more levels than one. Supposedly the government is looking to close the area down, believe it or not, in the next handful (maybe ten) years or so by phasing it out slowly. The Dutch are interesting people, making laws that make behavior illegal but leaving it tolerated and un-policed as long as it's not hurting people (too much) and as long as it's making money. To be fair, Prague has its crowd of prostitutes approaching you at night too, when you're alone or in a group of just guys, they just don't have a whole district with their own windows to stand in.

In terms of Amsterdam, on a lighter note amidst all the drugs and disturbing sex activities going on, I did absolutely love seeing the Van Gogh museum. I got to see 'Starry Night' and a bunch of awesome works of Van Gogh as well as Mozart and Rembrandt and a handful of others. I really enjoyed Prague, thoroughly. And although I did like the setup and general feel of Amsterdam more than I expected (outside of the sex situation), I don't see myself going back there at any point. There's simply too big of a world out there. A world that I'm exploring, bit by bit.

Next was Brussels...