Yesterday evening I took the usual flight from Pisa to Amsterdam with my dog Mirtilla a.k.a. Blondie, Biondina, Sweet Stinky Winky and Little Miss Sunshine. Everything went fine except for the usual pantomime that I have to assist to every time we arrive from Italy with her big travel bench: the taxi drivers at Schiphol Airport refuse to take us to our destination because they're afraid the bench is going to scratch the leather chairs of their luxurious Mercedeses, that Mirtilla is going to do something inappropriate in the car, that their religious beliefs do not allow carrying dogs etc. etc. Shortly, just a load of bull dung, to put it mildly. Or should I say dog dung?
The funny thing (actually it's not funny at all, but anyway) is that several of them first ignore me or just shake their heads in disdaining denial when I ask them if I can step in the taxi, but after a few seconds they usually lower the car window and ask me "where are you going?", which in Amsterdam taxi jargon usually means: "if you're going far enough and I can squeeze you like a lemon I'm gonna take you there", and which also means "if you're not going at least to Arnhem or Groningen you can friggin' forget it".
At that point I refuse to say where I want to go and to continue the discussion any further, which sometimes makes them mad (wait a second bro, WHO should be mad here???) because "they just wanted to help" and "I'm an ungrateful bitch".
Well, fuck them, excusez mon Français. I refuse to play this unfair blackmailing game.
And I wish I wouldn't have to say this because I'm a firm believer in the multicultural society - hell, I'm living in a foreign country myself, how could I think differently! - yet I'm saying it from experience: it's usually a Dutch native taxi driver that takes us home and never ever someone from another culture. :(
I've seen the same thing happen several times at the Central Station in Amsterdam with foreign tourists arriving late at night, with no idea of where their hotels are and how to get there in any way different than by taxi, being refused a ride because they aren't going far enough.
Well, I think the city council should do something about it.
Anyway, enough complaining for today, I'm glad to be home and I've already gone back to the usual, busy food and wine freak life I'm used to. :)
I just LOVE Amsterdam, cab drivers or no cab drivers (by the way, my heartfelt thanks to the very nice gentleman who took us home yesterday).
Music: Herman Emmink, "Tulpen uit Amsterdam" :)
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