gay night

I am sopping wet. Soaked through. Drenched in fact. My eyes feel swollen as a thousand needles of rain pricked them on the way home. And it’s cold. But I couldn’t be happier. This is Amsterdam.

Tonight, my roommate Maaike and I went to Gay Night at the Pathe, a movie theatre near Rembrantplein and the Red Light District, naturally. It was a showing of Mamma Mia! What else. The intrigue was mostly the goodie bags and the drinks we were promised, and of course the big gay spectacle. We were greeted with a big Grolsch and moved to the front of the incredibly packed massive theatre. I suggest seeing it for Pierce Brosnan in the very 70s Abba garb during the credits alone. At the start of every musical number, the audience roared with applause and then roared again upon its completion. And oh the goodie bags! A gay Dutch magazine, a pencil, a spoon (?), lip balm, and condoms… with instructions. Only in Amsterdam.

As we exited the theatre, it was pouring. We got on our bikes and pedaled home. As our apartment is on the other side of the city, it took us a good 25 minutes or so in the pouring rain. I could barely see a thing because of all the rain. Nobody was out, it was very quiet except for the rain hitting the ground. And it didn’t bother me a bit.

And this is after I took off my coat.