Amsterdam... Welcome to The Show

Amsterdam… its Europe’s version of Vegas. There’s no sugar coating it and nothing is surprising. “Coffee shops” are on every corner. Of course you can get a cup of java in these locations but you can also enjoy some good vibrations while watching other tourists wondering down alley ways and stone streets.

I had the pleasure of spending a few days in this part of Europe. Upon arriving at our hotel after a day of traveling a schoolmate and myself had just enough time to attempt at making ourselves up and run to the closest train station, as we had reservations at one of the cities most known hidden clubs. Luckily our hotel was just down the street from a train station and there was no shortage of running while praying we hit the platform before the train doors closed. With success we barely made the train and after being on for a few moments realize the obvious; It was the wrong train. Crap! And to make matters worse, neither of us speaks Dutch and nothing is in English. Have I mentioned yet that our phones were pretty much useless as there was no internet connection and neither of us had the chance yet to buy a Netherlands SIM card? Yep… this trip was going to be a lot of fun ;)

We hopped off the train and caught the next train thinking ‘Ok now we’re good!’ Yeah… not really. After about 10 minutes we checked our GPS that was somehow still operating only to realize we’re on the right number train but going in the wrong direction. FUCK! Really!?!!?!? Ugh. Now, third times a charm! Right train, right direction and we’re 30 minutes late for our reservation. Oops. Well it was bound to happen sometime during the evening.

We made it to the marketplace and start our way to the Red Light District and it hits me, I’m completely under the spell of the city. Even at night photos do not do this centuries old city justice. The building are captivating with the leaning structures and artistic sculptures that tell generations of history. I’m sure Katie was laughing at me walking around the city with my jaw on the ground. Red Light District is literally that… prostitution everywhere you look and I’m just going to say it, some of the girls are drop dead gorgeous. Sorry but just like in the champagne room there are no photos allowed even from the street unless you want to dare getting your butt kicked all the way to Poland. Therefore I have no way of proving this piece of truth.

If you’ve ever been to Amsterdam, you know the alley’s are misleading. You think there’s nothing down the nicely lit back streets but after walking in circles (literally) for another 20 minutes while making jokes that we were looking for a hidden door we finally gave up and asked someone. Little did we know we were right. The door to the club was nicely constructed within the building wall with a TINY little note that says “congratulations you found us! Now ring the bell to get lost in Wonderland.” The moment you stepped into the club itself your world is completely transformed. Anything goes. Rules were an idea for reality and reality didn’t exist here.

From the beds with what looked like short brunch tables on the sides of the club both upstairs and downstairs to the dance floor in the front of the massive room, then the 5 course, 5-star meal you made the reservations to attend your mind is blown. Between each meal is a fantasy/fetish show i.e., five meals and five shows.  It was truly a night to remember and not just thanks to the AMAZING food and show! The entire experience was definitely an Alice in Wonderland experience. After dinner the club ignited with main floor dancing and below grounds bar/dancing.

Once fatigue started to catch up with us, we realized sleep was a must. Leaving the club was like experiencing your 15 minutes of fame within a few moments. People attempting to get in was insane. There had to be at least 75-100 people surrounding the entrance with security holding as many of them back as possible and you… well you had to attempted to get out the door and passed the Amsterdam hungry Friday night party goers. One thing that I’m not a fan of is the lack of public transportation on a weekend in any major party city. Thank goodness for taxis or else I think we would have just slept in the middle of the city.