...goes through amsterdam apparently. at least mine does. and so i'm sitting in amsterdam at this internet cafe waiting out my 9 hour layover.
new orleans is kind of haunting me here. i went to the airport yesterday directly from work. on my way in to the office, someone was collecting red cross donations for katrina relief. i gave her some money and she gave me some mardi gras beads, which i played with all day in my office and then, at some point, shoved them in my pocket. they were still in my pocket today when i arrived in amsterdam. i guess they're going to damascus too.
also when the plane landed, the german guy sitting next to me, pointed out all the dikes, which were clearly visible along the north sea coast as we descended. half of this country is below sea level. i knew that in my previous visits, but this time it somehow seems a little ominous now. of course, everyone i meet who finds out where i am from asks me about new orleans.
anyway, this is my third visit to this city. this time, i avoided most of the touristy places and saw a very different side of the city than i remember. by that i mean, more dutch and dutch immigrants, and a lot fewer intoxicated tourists. i spent most of the day wandering, people watching and striking up conversations with locals.
i got less than an hour left before i should head back to the airport. it will be another long night (i barely slept last night as it is). but, by tomorrow, i should actually be in damascus. hopefully i will have bathed by then as well. woo-hoo!
