Arthur Idyllic Voyages

They say New York is the city that never sleeps but maybe you should go to Amsterdam.

I arrived there at about 6:00 in the morning in the cold of winter only to be approached by some random man who was more drunk than the Irish on Saint Patrick's day or the Germans during Oktoberfest (Fun fact, the Germans are some of the less likely in the world to actually "be drunk" contrary to popular belief). He reeked of alcohol, you could smell it from a mile away but he was so nice to strike up conversation with me at  6:00 a.m. when all I wanted to do was sleep after my long journey.

It was the holiday season so I guess I could understand why he was in such a cheery, inebriated state but I didn't trust him nonetheless. I was in a foreign country after all. In my travel experience, you trust no one enough to walk into a dark alley with them in the wee hours of the morning. So I stuck to the light and he disappeared shortly after talking some gibberish, little of which I understood but somewhere in the midst I think he asked if I spoke Dutch. I believe that I replied yes but maybe I was just too tired to follow exactly what he was saying or maybe I just wanted a quick escape from the smell of alcohol so I agreed with everything he said and moved on.


Ok, so maybe Amsterdam sleeps a little bit because walking around the city at 6:00. a.m was silent and relaxing. That was until we arrived at the Red light district at about 6:30 a.m. and some man hollered something from across the bridge in Dutch. I can't tell you how Usain Bolt was to be dethroned and my travel companions and I became the fastest sprinters in the world at that moment. Hey, I'm kidding, we didn't sprint but we sure did put some 'pep in our step'. We ended our early morning stroll after that and chilled out in McDonald's restaurant until the sun came up.

I wouldn't recommend having McDonald's for breakfast on any other day  but I admit that it was quite nice in Amsterdam and a great start to a full fun-packed day.


A little after maybe 7:00 a.m in the morning when the streets were much busier with last minute Christmas shoppers, the city was once again 'active' and you wouldn't have imagined that a few minutes earlier only the drunk and insane roamed the streets. (We were the insane... because I have no idea why we thought roaming the streets at 6:00 a.m. was a good idea).

Stepping out of McDonald's, the air was frisky and fresh and my nose burnt a little from the cold but that was nothing as the scenery was just superb and I quickly forgot the little pang of pain. The architecture was simply magnificent and some buildings were even decorated for the holidays. This went beyond the standard European minimal store-window decorations and it felt like Christmas to me.


Forgetting a little about Christmas and talking a little about the city, let's discuss the fact that people often forget that Amsterdam is much more than cannabis and prostitutes. Of course that exists but some of the most gorgeous buildings, talented street performers, great museums and shopping can be found in this city along with its' many bicycles on every corner.

Nonetheless, you're probably thinking, when is she going to get to the weed right?
Well, honestly the weed got to me before I could get to it. (No further comment, your honour! I plead the 5th.) You thought I was going to tell you the entire story? Ha ha...Of course not! They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, well...what happens in Amsterdam should definitely stay in Amsterdam. At least this part should. :-)


Diamonds though should be shared with the world. Not many people are aware that some of the most gorgeous diamonds in the world can be found in Amsterdam.  The Gassan Diamond Experience tour is worth checking out when you visit Amsterdam and the best part is... it's completely FREE!  Well the tour is but guys you may not want to take your fiancé(e) unless you are prepared to empty your wallet and sell your house. 😉


On the other hand, if you are trying to rekindle your love or just experiment a little, Amsterdam has all the toys and gadgets that a big kid would need to play around in the dark. There are so many shops with a variety products that you would feel like you're in BDSM heaven or like a little kid in a toy store for the first time. So many colors! So many sizes! So many styles! So many options!

Christmas was in the air and like many others, we were gift shopping. I think we stopped in every little shop and saw every little furry handuff and every small, medium and human-sized "love doll".



That in itself was an adventure and at the end of the day we made our way through the Red Light District once more (on our way home) but this time it was buzzing with activity.

Admittedly, there was some disappointment when I found out that you could literally be fined for taking pictures of the "show babies" who were now sitting or standing in their "show windows" awaiting the 'highest bidder'.  The Red light district was a whole stop sign. It was so commercial, I couldn't resist feeling a little bummed by the lack of authenticity. I guess it is to protect the identity of the ladies but they were so made-up that you couldn't tell who they were in any case. Oh the wonders of make-up and wigs.

I can't imagine why the major would want to shut down the brothels in this area because it is quite interesting to see and after all. How dare he stop so many tourists from being disappointed when they find out that they can't snap a photo with their favourite 'girl of the night'. (You could but if you're caught you would have to pay the price or have some legal permission to do so).

What happens in Amsterdam should stay in Amsterdam. 

• Tom’s Place at Best Western Hotel: You definitely shouldn’t go to Canada and not try their barbecue spare-ribs. They are unfortunately only available on Saturdays though. The restaurant is quite cosy and the waiting staff is just fabulous. 

This week we will be visiting Geneva in Switzerland. where you will be exposed to this city from a Barbadian perspective through the eyes of Mr. Ellis.


However, people seem to forget the weather. Though not unbearable, it can be quite a change for someone who is accustomed to a tropical environment so checking the weather is an essential part of your daily activity. It's right up there in the daily list of things to be done like you know, good hygiene, showering, brushing your teeth and things of this nature. If you're already accustomed to this type of weather, Geneva should be a breeze.

I was rather surprised to see that in 5°C weather people were out and about jogging... of all things... they were JOGGING while I was seeing my foggy breath and rubbing my fingers together to get rid of the numbness and did I forget to mention that they were wearing mid-thigh shorts? Yes, one of the guys that I saw was wearing shorts. It was a sunny day so I guess it was a justifiable activity but still, for me, it made little to no sense because outside was COLD.

Well here is where Swiss people get very interesting, they range from the super friendly to a very coarse "mind your own business" attitude. The people are approachable but don't think that making friends in an instant would be an easy task. You can have casual conversations but after that don't imagine that you are now friends for life. You would probably need to have been acquainted with them for a while, maybe even before going to Switzerland.

One of the things that you may need to be aware of as an English-speaker is that Geneva is a French-speaking territory but that does not in any way hinder your experience from being linguistically rich. You can speak in English but it is still nice to know a "Bonjour" and other little conversational vocabulary in French. Geneva being one of the more populated cities is very diverse with regard to culture and demographics so very often you would cross paths with someone from anywhere in the world and English is still the "global business language".


Talking about global language my main reason for the trip at this specific time of the year (March) was for the annual Geneva International Motor Show. This motor show is held each year during spring time in Europe. It is a well-known international automotive exposition and boasts of innovations in the car industry. (https://www.gims.swiss/) The autoshow was first held in 1905 where it showcased internal combustion engine models but today luxury vehicles, supercars, breakthrough technologies and even social debates or some of the activities to see and do at this event.



When visiting Geneva, you must profit from the beautiful surroundings and taking a trip to the mountainous regions of Switzerland is definitely one of the activities that you should put on your to-do list,  especially during the wintertime as the snowfall on the mountain top is a sight to see.