Early last Friday evening, the sky over Amsterdam turned a cold indigo, and the uncurtained light from shops and homes glowed a vibrant yellow. A breeze rippled the water of the canals, where a few couples were enjoying the sun's fading rays, while in the nearby sidewalk cafes, smartly dressed Amsterdammers were drinking flutes of pale amber beer. It also happened to be my birthday, and I was aimless, alone and chilly. But above all, I was thirsty.