Magical Amsterdam

Last weekend a group of 8 of us flew to Amsterdam.  We flew in from Stockholm, Estonia, and Germany.  We all arrived on Friday night and set out to tour the lighted streets of the city.  And what a beautiful city it is.  Canals flow through the streets, making all of the thin and tall homes water front.  The streets are littered with coffee shops - Some offering lattes, pastries, and dutch chatter.  Others offering menus of marijuana, magical shrooms, and lots of laughter.  We strolled through the red light district, which I found to be especially disturbing.  Many aspects of this city are uncomfortable.  However, there is a true beauty in Amsterdam.  On Sunday night after the sun went down, groups of children, each with a handmade lantern, went from door to door singing Dutch songs.  The owner of the home would answer the door with a tray of chocolates - one for each child.  We felt as though we were in a movie set.  And just as we thought the children and lanterns couldn't make this night any more magical, we stumbled upon a cornerside restaurant covered in twinkling white lights.  Once inside we felt as though we were in a nice, cozy, living room.  The waitress brought us a bottle of wine and a wooden board portraying a spread of select cheeses.  We were wrapped up in the aura of the evening and lost all track of time, causing us to barely make our flight back to Stockholm.  But the memories remain of that mystical city.