Pinocchio on Pleasure Island

I have arrived in Amsterdam.  it feels good to be here.  It seems to be a city that never stops celebrating - an enjoyable reprieve from Germany, a place which gives me unreasonable displeasure.  It's almost midnight here, and people are definitely looking worse for the wear.  This place really reminds me of Pleasure Island, where all the wild boys are turned to donkeys, in Pinocchio.  I'm still enjoying it though.  Being sober in a place like this is a good thing.

Walking down the street, I met a woman a few years older than myself.  She is Dutch, and lives here.  She told me all about this place, while while we sat on the edge of a canal.  It was sweet.  A good omen for my visit.