Pass that Dutch: Episode 5

Oh yeah, I am still writing about this. My 5 loyal readers have been asking for it so I am graciously writing more.

Ok so on our 5th day in the Netherlands we ran some last minute errands in Amsterdam, and then headed to the Airport to pick up our rental car to drive down to the little town of Utrecht.

Little wasted? Showing off the 30 euros worth of chocolate we bought for our awesome friends the Smiths! Also, the concierge told us that the place we went to was THE BEST chocolate place in town. Well, to be honest, it was ok. I mean, its Dutch chocolate, not Belgian chocolate. And the woman running the shop was like the first unfriendly person we encountered so far.

At Centraal Station waiting to jump on the train to Schiphol

I'm now realizing I was having a hard time taking pictures that day

Ok, so after driving through the Dutch countryside (so quaint I almost puked everywhere) we arrived in Utrecht. So the travel company said that the hotel we would be staying at was 4 star...well, yeah I don't know if 4 star was lost in translation? or what, because our hotel was nast. ay. More on the hotel in the foot notes. Anywho, we were so depressed about the hotel that we went into the city center right away not really knowing what to expect or do. So here is a picture of the Dom Tower, the tallest cathedral tower in the Netherlands? (why do I feel like I said that about Nieuwe Kerk as well?)

Back of the Dom Cathedral. Interesting thing about Utrecht: its a huge university town, and not a lot of people speak really good English. So we went to the Tourist information center (because, I mean, come on, they all speak GREAT english there...right? Right? RIGHT?!) So after attempting to ask the young college girl to tell us where the Pandhof Cathedral Garden was, she gave us wonderful directions nowhere near the garden. Then we asked for a good restaurant and she pointed vaguely to the map and said "right along the kennels." 

Me: "ugh, kernals? Kennels? Dogs?"

Her: "No, no. The kennels. Good restaurants along the kennels."

Me: "....wha......."

Cameron (thank goodness): "Ooh! yeah, I gotcha. Good restaurants along the canals."

Her: "Yeah, the kennels."

Me (in my head): "but you said kennels, and then I thought you meant kernals, and now I really want some caramel popcorn."

Thanks to my ingenuity and sure determination and grit we found the Pandhof Cathedral garden. No flowers yet, but still one of the most exquisite places we went to in Holland. And free. Boo ya. 

The tree in the upper-left hand corner had just bloomed and it was like something out of Lord of the Rings. Nerd alert?

The view just got much better

Good jump Cam!

If I were a monk (wait, my gender restricts me from that) I would totally get some awesome meditation time in here

Oh yeah.

I sent this pic into Calvin Klein and they said they will pay me big bucks to let Cameron be a model. I agreed but said no nude shots. They were super disappointed. 

Dear Tyra, whaddaya think? Oh I'm too short? I don't shmeyes? 

I think all these poses were pretty appropriate to do in a holy cathedral garden.

These next few pictures show how much we love each other. And yeah, I'm posting all of them for posterity, not everything is about you reader!

Another awesome view of Dom Tower

I'm not quite sure who this statue is of, but Cameron did a really good job of mimicking it

Coat of arms of Utrecht!

Part of the University

We were starving, and waiting for our dinner reservations, so we got some croissants and ate them on the town hall steps. These cray-cray pigeons were getting all up in my face about it so I tried to fight them off

Come at me bro

"Oh, cam, you're recording me fighting with pigeons?"

FYI I totally lost that fight

Right before eating a very disappointing yet expensive dinner. I guess that kennels tip wasn't too great. 

*Ok! Our hotel! So we checked in, and when we got off the elevator to our floor I was speechless. Because it was worse than a Motel 6. Exposed wires and pipes, and super thin walls so you could hear the neighbors yelling at each other. It only got worse once we got in the room! The only way I can explain it is I truly believe that Charlie Sheen and some prostitute trashed that room, and then got into a grease fight that left a super fun residue all over the walls and furniture. It was a mess. Later at night, we pulled back the sheets and there was a huge black hair on my side of the bed. After gagging, we called the front desk to ask for some more sheets, and then found out that they only clean the bedding every two weeks. Wait, wait, yeah seriously. Thats what she said. So I just lost it. Like lost my freaking mind. I was freezing from a FRIGID day, had some really mediocre meals and I was ready to scream and charlie sheen the place myself. So, very unlike myself I decided to call the travel agency to inform them of their "4 star" hotel. (side note, I actually had to pray to calm down so I wouldn't be a total yatch on the phone, because nobody gives free upgrades to meanies.) After talking to a very unkind gentleman from New York who said he had stayed at the NH Utrecht and didn't think it was trash, he transferred me to a wonderful Jersey woman named Carol. Carol was a total baller and got us a new hotel room across the street at the Park Plaza. I'm pretty sure she informed the front desk girl that we were uptight Americans and that they needed to give us a good room or all hell would break loose...and they did! Upgraded to an executive suite with clean sheets and a super swank room! I was so pleased with the company! I really didn't expect anything, I just wanted to let them know to NEVER book anyone in that nasty hotel again, and then we got into the Park Plaza. You go Carol. 

At one point in the old gross hotel, I actually said "Ugh! I'm so sick of this! I hate Europe! Lets just go home!" Camerons jaw dropped. Once in our new room I said "Wow! I love it! Lets stay forever!" I'm so transparent. So Utrecht wasn't too bad after all.