Amsterdam: Wind, Waning Charm, and Shifting Desires 🇳🇱

#summervacay Amsterdam greeted me not with water, its defining element, but with wind – that was my very first sensation stepping off the train. I didn't rush to the museums; instead, I took a gentle stroll, just to gauge the city's pulse. The Red Light District in broad daylight was nothing like I'd imagined. It felt exposed, like reefs at low tide, completely devoid of any real allure or provocation. And at the Flower Market, I didn't even feel the urge to pick out a single fridge magnet. It was all tulips, different colors, identical shapes – a standardized, manufactured kind of romance. I used to be an avid collector of souvenirs, dreaming of a future home overflowing with little trinkets from every corner of the world. It would have been maximalist, no doubt – flamboyant, cluttered, passionate, just like my aspirations for the future back then. But after you left, I seem to have lost my love for these "labeled" memories. Just as I no longer hold clear expectations for any relationship, I've started to shy away from the very vessels of recollection. #amsterdam #travelreflections #cityimpressions #windycity #redlightdistrict #flowermarket #souvenirs #memory #personalgrowth #travelthoughts #emotionaljourney