I Amsterdam (Completed)

Chapter 3.1 - Emma

A/N: Just to let you know, my chapters from this chapter and on are really long, so I broke  them up into sections where there would normally be a text break in the chapter. :)

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"Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained."          - Marie Curie

When I woke up again, the sun had already taken its place in the cloudless sky, and the birds' songs had quieted. I checked the clock by my bedside.

11:06 am.

"Shoot!" I shot out of bed like a bullet, but quickly forced myself to relax. I had overslept a bit, probably through my alarm, but 11:00 am was not bad. My headache was gone, and my body seemed to have substituted my pain with energy, so at least the extra sleep helped in some way.

Laying back down, I stretched my arms above my head, and my eyes landed upon the ceiling's detailed carvings, growing to the middle to what resembled some kind of glowing orb, like the leaves and branches of a tree reaching for the sun. I had not yet taken the time to notice my room since my arrival here in Amsterdam late last night, but now that I did, I was amazed at how simple yet intricate everything seemed, both modern and ancient. It was certainly a contrast to other countries.

I debated whether I should sketch the ceiling. My sketchbook sat beside my bed on my nightstand, within close reach; it was my most prized possession, probably the only thing I truly cared about, stuffed with my sketches of a diverse variety of cultures that made each country I visited unique. The touch of the sun along the engravings of the ceiling provided the perfect differences of light and shadow for a fascinating sketch, but if I believed something as humble as a ceiling should conquer one of my sketchbook pages, I decided there must be even more beautiful and magnificent things I had yet to see and sketch in this city. And so, I left my sketchbook where it was.

I sat up, glancing at the clock again.

11:13.

Almost 10 minutes wasted.

My stomach rumbled, yelling at me to be filled. I stared out the window to get a feel for the weather outside. Usually, I loved to explore and travel during the morning, when I felt the most energetic in the cold, crisp air. However, the sunlight outside rained down in a gentle sprinkle, suggesting a pleasant afternoon. It was summer in the North anyway, so the temperature should be expected to fall around moderate these days.

With some quick reasoning, I switched around my schedule due to my prolonged sleep to first get some lunch, and then explore at around noon.

I slid out of bed to take a quick shower.