the netherlands

so, the guy sitting next to me is smoking pot. and it's blowing in my eyes. not cool. but hey, that's holland, so it seems.

this is the first "american" keyboard i've typed in since leaving the states, and it's a little odd. hard to get used to again.

this country is beautiful, and i'm loving the canals and old buildings all squished up together. i'm not liking my hostel so much, or that i can't meet any travellers at all who aren't stoned. grrr.

i went to the van gogh museum yesterday, definitely cool. then i walked around a bit, took an hour canal boat tour, then headed for the anne frank house. they did a really really great job with that one.

now i'm in haarlem, waiting to go to the corrie ten boom house. i read"the hiding place" just before i left, so i'm hoping iremember enough of it. they have an english tour at 1:45, and that is the only time the building is open. i'm glad i have all day!

so i haven't had as much luck with hostels as i thought i would. current counts:
hostels i booked, but then i didn't make it to that city: 3
hostels i booked and stayed in: 1
hostels i booked, but they lost my reservation and i could stay anyway: 1
hostels i booked, they lost my reservation, and i cou'ldn't stay there: 1
hostels i booked, then cancelled: 1

now, i'm not having so much luck with this computer. SO frustrating!! i came to this internet cafe soley for the purpose of uploading my photos, but it won't let me. i have them on the computer (all 800, it took 20 min), but when i try to upload them, the window opens and automatically closes. and the guy who works here doesn't know how to fix it. he says to try another computer, which i don't have time for, as the tour leaves in less than 30 min. oy.