Only a Hop, Skip & Jump Away

This past weekend I made a spontaneous last minute decision to go visit one of my dearest friends in the quaint, humble yet urban town of Rotterdam, just south of Amsterdam.  I took the fast speed train over thursday evening and arrived in a speedy 2.5 hours.  Sydney met me at the train station and welcomed me with limitless amount of hugs.  It was such a warm and comforting feeling to see such a familiar face.  Being so far away from friends, family and boyfriend can catch up to you at times.  You find yourself realizing that you are constantly seeing and meeting new faces, nothing is familiar any more when your thousands and thousands of miles away from home.  Yes of course I skype my boyfriend on the regular, and have lengthy chats with my parents and friends either on the phone or skype but it's never the same.  It was great to feel myself surrounded by such a familiar presence, that feeling is inimitable.
We began our weekend off immediately.  There was no time for wasting as I only had a couple days, we immediately got home, got ready, cheers'd (probably one too many times!) and hit the town.  I let syd take control of the evening, and that she did indeed.  I met many of her friends she's grown close to since being abroad, celebrated 2 birthdays, and did everything from meet a friend for a drink, dance like crazy girls at one of Rotterdams clubs, to letting loose on the dance floor at an old metro station turned underground music bar.  I couldn't help but wake up and say "fuck that was only night 1?!"
Later the next day we shot off to Amsterdam in a quick 45 minute train ride.  We arrived at night and rode the metro after getting off the train to our accomodations for the weekend.  As we drove through this magical little town, I couldn't help but appreciate my life.  It's crazy to think that the day before I was sitting in class in Paris, and now im riding through a cute little town covered in christmas lights and florescent coffee shop signs.  The hussle and bussle of the city was hard to ignore, everyone making their way from point A to point B on their bicycles.  I instantly gravitated to this city, falling in love with the simplicity of life and laid back vibes.  The picturesque scences of Vondelpark even in the rain, the authentic art covering the sides of buildings, and the simple beauty that surrounds this town and the people in it.
The rest of the weekend was filled with an abundance of beers, great food, and tons of laughter.  It was an amazing feeling to connect with a familiar face again.  Laugh at memories of the past, and create new ones at the same time.