In Holland we kiss 3 times xxx

Last night I discovered in Holland they do 3 pecks on the cheek (left, right, left) when I accidentally kissed a girl on the lips as she came around again!

I am in Alkmaar, haven’t heard of it? That’s because hardly any tourists come here except on Fridays for the cheese(y?) market. I arrived yesterday (Sunday) to stay with a woman I met online, Tamara. Without realising it, I arrived here the day of the Dutch football final, Alkmaar vs Amsterdam, and luckily wearing the Alkmaar colours (red). Didn’t help them win, but it was a great opportunity for me to meet, talk and laugh with some very friendly local people. It was 1 coffee and 5 beers before I finally got the opportunity to buy a round and pay for my own drink.

I had liked the Dutch people I have met travelling and what I had heard of the liberal attitude here, and it is all true and more. I appreciate their straighforwardness (I’m known to be a little blunt myself at times), and deadpan sense of humor.

I did all that I was supposed to in Amsterdam. Luckily I met up with an Australian woman, Karina, and we had a great deal in common, as well as a great time. A couple of years younger than me, she had sold her house in Perth to travel was just doing it. She’d worked on the mines in WA.

Katrina at the flower market


Together we cruised the red light district, took in a show, drank white wine from plastic cups in Vondel Park, bitched about our exes, shared a hash muffin at a coffeeshop, paddled around in a silly boat on the canals and lined up for 40 minutes to see the Anne Frank Huis. One night we found a late night bar and there Karina was, innocently asking a prostitute all about her work and chatting in the corner with a man who’s job was performing live sex on stage.

I have decided that Australian women are some of the best in the world for mateship, maturity and adventure. We were both pleased to meet each other and be able to explore parts of Amsterdam we wouldn’t have enjoyed on by ourselves.



The bikes are everywhere (and a very good idea too), and I love the leaning houses and the canals. The downside to the red light district is the sexism, although I don’t feel threatened, I do feel a judgemental attitude from the men found in that area, but then there is a type of a reactive kinship amongst the women. Us and them.



In my travels I’ve really enjoyed meeting people who have the open attitude to life, enjoy living in the moment and accepting life for what it is. This attitude is prevalent in Holland, perhaps because they live in such close proximity and they works so hard to keep their heads above water.


Canal life, the orange flags are for Queens Day, last Monday, the biggest holiday on the Dutch calendar. Everyone was talking about it but I got here the day after. It was too expensive, my hostel, for example, was charging 60 euros for one bed in a 10 bed dorm that night.

The weather has still been lovely, today is the first time it has rained in Holland in 40 days.

My next stop is Berlin, everybody says it is an amazing town, and I’m hoping my dollar goes a little further there than Holland. I’m also looking forward to a visit from a special Irishman there.