During our last day in Amsterdam, we went to the Heineken Experience (a few of you should have gotten video email things from there) just to be dorky college-aged Americans–plus, you know, it was only 10 euro, and you got three beers non-alcoholic beverages and a “free gift”–a really nice bottle opener in a plastic mini Heineken bottle.
You also got a couple hours of weirdly entertaining entertainment, including two Heineken-themed “rides,” a room where you can “be your own DJ,” and a row of chairs in which you can sit and surround yourself in commercialism (the entire place was basically dedicated to showing Heineken commercials. My media studies classes would have a field day).
We got to the airport extra early, so as to avoid any problems flying into the U.K. However, because it’s us, this turned out to be entirely unnecessary–our flight was delayed, inevitably, and we sat around at the Amsterdam airport until 11 p.m. By the time we got into Luton and then took the bus into London, it was half past midnight, so we walked halfway to the hostel and then took a cab, since we didn’t actually know where it was.
Our hostel here is good, in that they include breakfast in the price, there’s a kitchen, and our room is pretty nice. (The bathrooms didn’t work for me this morning, but no one else had any problems, so I’m going to give the place the benefit of the doubt.)
Today so far we’ve gotten tickets to go see “Antony and Cleopatra” at the Globe tomorrow afternoon (they are £5 standing tickets, because nothing is as fun as standing up through three hours of Shakespeare! ….really! no sarcasm! We like Shakespeare. As long as it doesn’t rain). We wandered around Covent Garden, where we got trinkety things and I bought an umbrella–I’m okay getting rained on occasionally, but um, we’re in England.
AND THEN. We were wandering around and saw signs for cheap theatre tickets, so we investigated further AND THEN. We got £20 tickets to see “Avenue Q” from the FIFTH ROW this afternoon! In about an hour, in fact. Because we’re fabulous.
So we will see good theatre tonight and tomorrow, even if paying for said theatre means we will be going Bov-style and eating baguettes and Nutella for the rest of the trip. Because it’s worth it. (However, Cameron has promised to try Indian food while we’re here, so one afternoon/evening we have to eat good Indian food. And Steph and I can’t seem to avoid falafel stands, because mmm, deep-fried garbanzo beans. So good.)
–Amanda