Day six. I am a vagabond. I made a half-assed effort at my Brugge hostel to find a place in Amsterdam for Saturday night. No luck so I booked for Sunday. Hopping the train with the intention of finding a place once in Amsterdam, I sat next to a Brugge resident who told me Antwerpen was nice. He left so I moved next to a striking young woman with crystal blue eyes. She also said Antwerpen was nice and after 30 minutes of converstation offered to host me in Budapest.

She left and I was left with a decision 10 minutes later at the Antwerp station. I got off the track thinking I could scope the city briefly and hop on the next train to Amsterdam if I came up cold. A brilliant tour guide answered every question I could have asked as soon as I said, "Hi, I've just arrived and am looking for places to stay." He directed me to "the cheapest hostel in town, The Boomerang," and circled on the map all the place I might like to see.

Half an hour later I had walked to where the hostel was supposed to be...95 Lang Leerstraadt, and saw nothing but a little grocery store and some derilect buildings. A local pointed out that the 95 was written discreetly near the door so I buzzed the place. Inside, I learned that Migumi and her husband prefer to keep the place hidden to avoid unwanted attention. I booked a room and breakfast for 14.5 euro, seriously the best price I've seen. The 16 person bunked room was nice and the beds were fine. I was thrilled. I also had the first moment of quite repose yet on this trip. I am beginning to understand what seasoned travelers say about giving yourself some quiet time. I expect to get that here in Amsterdam at some point. I'll be here for a few days so there's no need to wear myself out futher.

Antwerp is dynamic. There are hip, young, rich kids who party till the sun comes up (I know, I walked home surrounded by birdsongs at dawn) and there are intellectual art types from the city's two large art schools. They were out to party in celebration of completed exams. I wandered the city in search of cheap food and found a portugese street party fueled by cupra libre's and mohitos. The city is also a cultural smorgasbord, pick a nationality and it's probably represented. The cheap food turned out to be one of the ubiquitous pita shops where I had a pita that curbstomps Pita Pit. It was one mean pita. The pita maker directed me to the red light district and a number of the best clubs in town.

Wandering in the direction of said red light district, I came across an art exhibit. "Art exhibit" is a widely used term in Antwerpen, I believe. Artists will take/acuire/rent/squat an unoccupied space and create/show art. So this particular exhibit (opening last night with a party) was a white room dominated by a spiderweb of wooden planks contrasted with an intricately placed design in gravel on the floor. Modern? yes. Art? who's to say it isn't? Anyway, that group took me underwing and we strolled through the city and turned out to be wonderful company for stimulating coversation over good beer. Our visit to the red light district was...eye-opening. At the entrance of this government controlled "institution??" was a big red sign reading "WHY NOT?" Hm...not something our 9th grade health teachers want us questioning. It was weird and actually put me off a bit. Didn't stop me from hitting the hottest club in town (smack dab in the middle of the R.L.Dist.) Sweet setup but I was too tired/sober to enjoy it fully so I hit the nearest snack shop (also conveniently located withing the R.L.Dist) for some local-style snacking (belgian fries with mayonaise). SO good! Full and exhausted I returned to my hidden gem of a hostel. The breakfast was amazing, too, and in the company of several VERY hung over english chaps celebrating a rich kid's 21st birthday.

Now I'm in Amsterdam getting ready to find food. I've established a routine with each place I encounter. First, find a map. Then, find a place to sleep and hopefully store my stuff safely. Finally, locate food. Time for the last step in my Amsterdam orientation.

Cheers!