Attention is also given to the importance of cannabis to the environment, agriculture and industry. The museum shows that hemp has evolved to reclaim its place as one of Man’s most valuable raw materials.

We knew that taking this soft drug is legal in Netherlands. We also know that this plant can also be used as medicine and cure certain diseases and conditions by the appropriate manner of application. In some countries there are groups that do smokey religious ceremony with taking the cannabis. Different peoples and different countries have different cultural practices. There is beauty in diversity in knowing them and understanding the peoples. It is what we know or perceive that is wholesome and right that we practice and live by that really matters, for in the end, it is a personal thing, everything that we do to our bodies has equal and opposite reaction, good or bad, sooner or in our later years.

I remember an email circulating around about “only in Vietnam”, featuring the scenes and stuff that happen only in the land, or in the streets of the Viets. Motorists using the motorbikes and loading them like they would a big truck. The more load, the better is the driver, I guess, because he has to have more control and balancing. This also reminds me that in Netherlands, thousands of bicycles are rolling down the streets as much as the four-wheel drives. This is the beauty of going to a lot of places for we will learn new things and about the other people and their culture. And I love it.

The beautiful and clean streets of Amsterdam with its lovely buildings. It was memorable trip for us all of hubby’s company’s management personnel and their spouses. I met many wives there and it was very enjoyable. Amsterdam is full of entertainment. I wish we can go back there.

This party took place in one of Amsterdam’s famous bars and coffee shops, with some old friends and hubby’s workmates from around the world during the worldwide meeting.

It shall be noted that in the Netherlands, the use of soft drugs – cannabis in all its forms (marijuana, hashish, hash oil) has been admitted for the personal use only; it is legal! And openly sold and smoked in Amsterdam’s coffee shops which can legally store up to 500 g of marijuana and can sell up to 5 grams to adults over 18. (We didn’t smoke, ok!) These coffee shops offer several kinds of weed and hash, and usually there is a “menu” to choose from. The prices vary according to the quality (about 5 EUR per gram). Amsterdam has also a major smoking event called High Times Cannabis Cup on November. But there are also so many interesting places and tourist spots in Amsterdam as well.

PhotoHunt

It was our night out in the heart of Amsterdam. This is De Waag, an old castle long since converted to a restaurant. De Waag, or old weighing station, was originally a gate in a castle built in 1488, but became a weighing house in 1614. It’s now a restaurant where you can get a fine pastry or coffee in the morning or a dinner at night. Dinner late at night is especially seductive because the place is lit by hundreds of candles in chandeliers.

“De WAAG” (formerly called “Sint Anthoniespoort”). Dutch WAAG = English “Weight”.
It was build in 1488, and it is located on “De Nieuwemarkt”. The building is remarkedly well preserved. Here in ancient times the products from the VOC-ships (nutmeg,cotton,pepper and the like), were supplied, weighted out by poorly verificated measures and sold by auction to merchants and the public. The building looks somewhat like a mediaeval castle and (see the Weeping Tower above) it was part of the Old City Wall. It was the Oldest Place of Communication in Amsterdam and to day it is still a marketplace.The Waag functioned as a city-gate. Rembrand van Rijn frequently visited this building and it is in this building that he painted “The anatomical lesson of Dr. Tulp” (1632). To day inside “De Waag” a good restaurant flourishes. Behind “De Waag”, on a distance of about 200 meters, and alongside the water, the Weeping tower was build.

We are back from our Amsterdam trip and upon arriving home, I went straight to the backyard to see my cat, I badly miss my furry kitty lovely Lady Gishi. She usually would run to me in a hurry when I call her but that time she was no where, maybe in the front yard? Nowhere too.Maybe she would show up later. I didnt know that I would never see my companion cat again. If I stayed with her, she would still be here safe and not lonely. Get over with this, but just missing my dearest cat.