Ginger & The Professor: A few photos from Amsterdam

One morning, around 4AM, I couldn't sleep. So I did what I never do and got up, leaving the professor sound asleep. In the lobby, I met Mr. X (whose name has been changed for legal reasons) but who works in the security department of the hotel and has rooftop access. I mentioned that I'd love to take some photos from the roof, and he agreed to oblige if I pinky-swore I wouldn't tell. We climbed the old wooden spiral staircases and popped out though a door not more than 3 feet tall. I felt like Alice in Amsterdam. Pay attention to the dome in the above photo--there's a story coming later.

While the city was still asleep, the sun was just about to come up.

But the sun never made it--it was a cool foggy morning. I was a little disappointed, not getting a shot of the sun rising over Central Station, but I put on a happy face and thanked Mr. X for the private tour. He asked me if I had a chance to go to the van Gogh museum. No, I hadn't. And we were leaving the next day. On the way back down, Mr. X asked me if I'd like to take a peek at the 17th century Grand Ballroom. Hells yes, I said. The Grand Ballroom is the dome in the first photo. When I entered, the first thing I saw was a working pipe organ about three stories high. It was about this time that I regretted not waking the professor and dragging him along with me. It was a truly beautiful room and the private tour made it all that much more special. "One more thing," Mr. X said and led me up another spiral staircase. It was a little dark, a lot dusty, and smelled weird. Now I was really regretting not bringing the professor, but for other reasons (wasn't that van der Sloot kid from Holland?). Just as I became seriously suspect, Mr. X unlocked a door to an abandoned bedroom suite--used strictly for the King and Queen when they would visit. It had not been renovated. Closet doors were ajar and separating from the hinges. Old porcelain wash basins long abandoned. "There's the van Gogh," Mr. X said. And there on the wall, was an original sunflower painting, one for me to enjoy all by myself. With no tourists. No museum fees. No ropes keeping me 20-feet away. "Oh, and there's the Rembrandt," he said, pointing to the other wall. So...yeah.