Christmas journey Bashny.Net

Well ... I write a little bit about his New Year's vacation in Finland and the Netherlands.
I think a lot of people have already been there, but still can anyone find something interesting thread in this report.

In general, January 1, 2011, I wake up in the morning at 10 o'clock and go to Fink. On the road, there is no virtually no one. From St. Petersburg to the border, I drove 2 hours.





He got up in a small place. In which stood for more than an hour, because the customs bureaucracy.
Entertained only local beggars who do not burst crackers. Apparently after the holidays like delicacies.



Slip through the border, I was home of Santa Claus. The roads are smooth, snow white, nice frost
-14 C.



Reaching to his friends in the house and a little rest, we went to Lappeenranta.
Typically Finnish town. People there, the shops are closed, the streets are clean.



In general skukota.
Back at the cottage, began to celebrate the first day of the NG.



Details are omitted, but I will say this: the main company, and you can have fun anywhere!



The next day we went to the city of Imatra. There just is not anything remarkable.
Except for one thing - the spillway. In summer, every day and in winter only on New Year's Eve.
It opens the dam for 20 minutes and the water begins to drop a large flow.
I saw only place where this is happening. The action itself is not found.



It was very cold and beautiful.



This hotel.



Coming back to the cottage and otogrevshis, I began to gather for the flight to the next amazing country - the Netherlands.

Early in the morning my friend took me to the airport Lappeenranta. Photos Airport outside there, because I rode up to him, I could not believe that this is the airport. After registration on the flight inspection, I found myself in the waiting room.



Everything you see in the picture is almost the entire airport. When profits all passengers on the flight (85% Russian), half stood since there's nowhere to sit was. But the work for free wi-fi internet.

On the plane I met Dawn.



An hour later, with a little, I flew to Riga, where I had to stay for 2 hours. Enough good airport, which is also full of Russian. Apparently, this is due to the long New Year holidays. The temperature of -10 ° C



After two hours of waiting and two-hour flight, I arrived in Amsterdam.



Immediately obvious that a very different climate. No snow. The temperature of 5 C.

In this town, I is the second time, but he still constantly surprises me. Even at the airport selling seedlings and roots of tulips.



And it is our compatriot from Moscow. Imagine what way did !!! Well done!



Find your hotel, I drove to the store around the corner.



Bread 800 g., Milk 1l., Juice 1.5 l., A salad with meat 450 gr., Sausage 200 gr., Cheese, 300 gr., Sausages in the pot 10 pcs., Bananas 3pc. Package = 9, 75 euros. < br /> Good enough!

A quick bite, I wandered for a walk.
On a quiet and deserted street, I saw a picture here.
Two swans floating quietly on the channel.



From that moment I decided to always take bread.
Later swans do not make me so excited as the first day, because they were everywhere and in large quantities.



And sometimes even very large.



Then I wandered into the red-light district. There I met the first Amstredame coffee shop.
12/17/1975 A city on his left, as seen from the windows of confused, but about them later.



On the next street found the hotel, which has stayed in the past year. There I was bitten by bedbugs.



In general, hotels in Amsterdam - a separate conversation.
The hotel is here - is, roughly speaking, a place to sleep and nothing more. Where I have lived in Amsterdam, here everywhere around the same conditions: a room of 6-8 square meters. m., bed, sink, TV, desk, chair, wardrobe. Shower and toilet on the floor. At this time I lived in a 3 star hotel and it was all the same. I say all this about the center. My companions were far from the center and they had a luxury room with a large bed and a bathroom, although the room was almost identical. I paid 132 euros for 4 days (per room, for two people would have been 230 Euros) with breakfast. Naturally, a lot of money and you can get the best conditions, but the cost will be many times more.

In the morning I went to the flea market. On this, I would like to stay a little more.
Oh, and a little more about birds. While riding on the market, I stopped to see the map ... I saw in front of a typical house on the water.



From the house came the grandmother took the mail from the mailbox, I came back to the house, passing a meter away from the miracle.



Or my friends, going out on the balcony in the morning, seen here such here parrots on two consecutive days.



Anyway. Let's return to the market.
Flea market is located in the center of Amsterdam, and quite small.



There's nothing edakogo not. As always, you can buy a used / y things.
For example, clothes.



Or some household utensils.



There are very interesting specimens ...



Or here ...



More



The total mass of consumer goods prevails ...



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But the most interesting and memorable in two or three containers ...



Relatively cheap watches and all sorts of antiques.

I'll start from left to right with the horse - 220, copper - 750, Central - 450, long (the oldest) - 650, with the right figures - 250 euros.



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250 EUR (10,000 RUB)



All watches every half-hour call. But the melody is played, although do not look (145evro).



This bottle of wine costs 100, but I have raised doubts that it in 1930.



Here's an interesting bag. How much it is worth, I did not ask, but I think somewhere in the 50-70 euro.



Well, right there next to a million records.
In this and enough of a flea market. The general idea, I guess, you have made of it.



Next, I want to tell you one interesting feature of Amsterdam.
Riding around the city by bike (by the way, this is the most demanded type of transport), I settled on one street. After a couple of seconds was unusually quiet. I saw the following picture.



On the road, which can pass only one car, taxi stands, blocking all the roads, and waiting passengers. And if it was a little further, it could overtake. During the taxi going to a lot of machines. All stand, and no signals. Time about 14-15 hours. Exit of passengers, the people of the eastern type, and start hugging each other and saying good-bye, and the driver loads the luggage in the meantime. The line was stretched further and all are, no signal. One of the passengers, reached the door of the car, he turns around and starts to say something to his mourners. Then he lifts his head up and starts to someone waving a hand. The queue stretched so much that I no longer see the end of it, and one of the drivers slightly signaled twice. The passenger gets into the car, opens the window and starts to wave and shout something. The taxi moves off slowly and zooms. The line begins to move slowly, and a minute later there is no one.



I have it all to the fact that some tolerance in humans and education. The same pattern in St. Petersburg, and especially in Moscow, I am afraid to imagine that all taxis blocked the road and is waiting for passengers.
There, I saw it every day as a truck drove up to the shop and begins to unload. And no one is outraged, everyone understands that it will take a few minutes. Naturally, that, and they have people who are somewhere in a hurry and rush to the thread, but, unfortunately, all in a hurry and it is not clear where.

Now just a little bit I want to tell you about Amsterdam. This is a wonderful city where I was. The city, which is always something going on. People come and go around the clock. In 23 hours you can see the noisy company of people who are going to roll up airport-film suitcases and map in hand. But in the morning you may ask, where is the train station. All hotels are constantly clogged, even those far from the center. Happy not crowded street with shops and boutiques in the evening there is not a soul, but in the red light district though pedestrian traffic lights put, such a crowd walking on these narrow streets. At the same time there inexpressible spirit of freedom and tranquility. The city in which no one is running, but something to do. City in constant motion.



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Russian hear it on the streets permanently.
If you see a crowd of people with a guide, the 70% is Rashn.



A distinctive feature of Russian abroad - a fur coat ...
If this crowd though one lady in a fur coat ... 100% Rashnu TURISTOS



As I said, the most demanded type of transport - the bicycle



A lot of offices where you can take a great hire. The pledge leave Passport + 50evro.
The cost of renting per day 10 euros. I'm not even worried that he could be a steal. Each of these chain which can be sawn only grinder and lock the rear wheels. Rent a moped is 35 euros.

That, by the way, you can see the great photos from the opposite shore is the other part of the city. There !!! every 7 minutes !!! There is a free boat.



On the question of why the trams are paid, and the ship is not, one of my fellow traveler said:
 - To get into the city to the thread, I can choose between paid and free bicycles by tram, and to get to the other side I have no choice other than by boat! Therefore, for his money, and do not take ...)))



And finally I tell you about a little coffee shops. Photographing them is impossible.
But a couple of pictures, I still did.



Coffeeshops - are small bars where they sell grass and hashish.
Buy alcohol, even beer, here it is impossible. Tea, coffee, soft drinks it please. You come, you immediately hand menu ... 5-10 species of grass and as many kinds of hashish.
No you do not smiling much of the bartenders. Exclusively business ... you buy the grass (4-6 euros), while you are asking tobacco or not, opens a drawer and pulls in a special capsule joint. Take the money, punched the cashier, give change and receipt. A feeling that you bought bread in Pyaterochka. You sit down at the table and lights.



Coffeeshops are completely different, and each other are not similar, but the essence is the same: money-commodity.
You can go 12 hours a day in the coffee shop, on the outskirts of the center, where it will sit a couple of people, sit there at the table and 20 minutes later. He be all crowded with people, so that will not be a free table, and after another 20 minutes. all disperse, and then an hour later, the same people will sweep from nowhere. And in the center you can go to the coffee shop and sit there alone on the second floor for nearly an hour.
Photo right from the second floor.



A few words about the girls in the red light district. Photographing them, of course, impossible. But I tried. Do not judge the quality of



They are all completely different: blonde, brunette, mulattos, Asians ...
There are very pretty, young girl with a good figure and good looks



Morning and afternoon work worst for 50 years, aunt ... you pass them, you say:
 - Hey kid, come to mammy .... !!!
brrrr ...

Well, in general, and that's enough on this. About Amsterdam, of course, we can talk for a long time.
About these crazy stairs to the upper floors, which can go up and down just to help himself with his hands, otherwise you can break your neck falling down.



About urinals in the streets, in which one does not hesitate to walk day and night.



But it's better to see in person. Amsterdam is very wonderful city that it is necessary to see yourself.

I collected the bag and 7th of January drove back home the same way.
Surprisingly, the airport train station, worth 2.70 euros, and the station-Airport 4 20 ...



There was flying, met the dawn. Back sunset.



And from Riga to Lappeenranta I flew here on this plane. But it was not terrible, because it was new, like as in 2009.

Well, of Bowie, I got to the house by car. Just 4 hours. Of these, I spent an hour at the border.
Excellent trip turned out. I do not regret.
Good luck!



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