Amsterdam.The cobbled streets, the smell of roasted nuts, and the slow swirl of canal water had felt like a postcard come to life. I had been needing this break. One year into my Frankfurt posting, and not a single real friend. Workdays blurred into nights in my tiny rented flat. So when I saw a cheap train deal to Amsterdam, I booked it without thinking too much. Three days away from code and solitude.I arrived on a Friday afternoon, the sky gray but not unfriendly. The hotel was modest but clean—just how I liked it. I dropped my backpack and