Train Travel

after leaving at 5 in the morning, we spent eight and a half hours on the train yesterday, going from Amsterdam to Dreseden, which is our current city. Before the bombing of Dresden, happening towards the end of WW11, it was the most aesthetically pleasing city in Europe. only a fraction of the buildings remain and it is still beautiful. One can only imagine what it once was.
I met a girl on the train whose mom sang in the Russian opera and she knew 4 languages, played multiple instruments, had gotten poetry published in a magazine, and was hitchhiking all around europe. people can do amazing things

My Growing Patriotism

GGOOOOOOOOOOOOOO   MAVSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

A Whole New World

we arrived yesterday in Amsterdam around 9:00. Amsterdam is a located in the Netherlands, not Germany, as some have mistaken. the language is similar the German in the sense that you feel that you are constantly being spat upon when a Dutch person talks to you. Other than that, its a beautiful language. The city is built with a horseshoe design plan, which we were able to see when flying in. There are canals semicircled around the main square. It is on one of the canals that out hostel is located. Its actually on the same canal where the infamous Red Light District is located. We walked the district and it was a sight unaccustomed to me. It gets its name from the soft glow of red light that comes from the windows where women openly, and legally, prostitute themselves to any accepting client. The biggest problem for me was that 80% of the women are trafficked and have no other alternative for a day job. I also thought about how common this idea of life is for people to fall into. The idea that men are the business makers and women are the business deals. This idea is present in every culture because it is the mentality we are born with. Without constant striving for change, man falls captive to this idea and spirals towards spiritual depletion. I am just not sure where my destiny fits into this eternal debocle. How do i help the helpless? How do i change the seemingly unchangeable? I have to remember that the whole problem of man's fall into sin is not up to me to fix. Im just here to love. When i think, i write, so i wrote a poem about the events i saw. Our hostel had open mic night last night, and with shakey, raspy voice i read the poem to the few in the audience. I hope it got them thinking. The owner of the hostel was there and he wants a copy to frame on the wall. It felt good to know that i may have helped some people think about the difficult things.
Everyone is healthy and is enjoying the traveling. The jet lag was pretty sever yesterday. I was doing adequate because i was able to sleep most of the plane ride. God bless Ambien.
We are scheduled for an eight and a half hour train ride tomorrow from Amsterdam to Dresden, Germany. More to come.

it all begins. we are on plane to amsterdam. time ti fulfill of all my favorite stereotypes about america.

Updated Itinerary

May     25          Arrive Chicago, USA

27           Arrive in Amsterdam, Netherlands

29           Dresden, Germany

June     1            Vienna, Austria (Local Spelling: Wien)

4             Prague, Czech Republic (Local Spelling: Praha)

8             Berlin, Germany

11           Warsaw, Poland******* (Local Spelling: Warszaw)

14           Bergen, Norway (via Warsaw airport)

25             Riga, Latvia 

27           Hurach, Germany (via Bergen airport to Munich)

July       2           Bergen, Norway (via Munich)

            31           Amsterdam, Netherlands (via Bergen airport)

Aug      2            Chicago, USA

my travel itinerary

May     25            Arrive Chicago, USA

27            Arrive in Amsterdam, Netherlands

29            Munich, Germany (Local Spelling- München)

June     1            Vienna, Austria (Local Spelling: Wien)

3             Prague, Czech Republic (Local Spelling: Praha)

7             Berlin, Germany

12           Warsaw, Poland******* (Local Spelling: Warszaw)

14           Bergen, Norway (via Warsaw airport)

25           Riga, Latvia 

27           Hurach, Germany (via Bergen airport to Munich)

July       2            Bergen, Norway (via Munich)

            31            Amsterdam, Netherlands (via Bergen airport)

Aug      2            Chicago, USA

pregame

soon, i am leaving on my journey. this is a sample post to make sure its legible and let everyone know i mean business.