BE LIKE WATER: THE NETHERLANDS

AUGUST 29th, 2022

Wow, it’s been a minute. Sorry for sleeping on updates, but I’ve been busy! In the past few weeks, I celebrated the last of Fringe Fest in Edinburgh, did a day-trip to the Highlands, turned 28 and set foot on the European Mainland. Sitting down today and doing some freelance work and catching up on this blog has actually been a reprieve.

(Left to Right) Fringe Fest Crowd, Glencoe Highland Hiking, Day Tripping in Edinburgh (and yes, that’s the same shirt)

BE LIKE WATER

Things don’t always go as planned. That’s a given. That’s not just a fact about travel, but life.

Cliche, yes, but until proven otherwise it will remain one.

I’ve been fortunate on this trip to not run into any major hiccups (yet). The only thing that is throwing curveballs are the ongoing rail strikes across the UK and the EU, causing delays and shutdowns across the rail system. My first inconvenience was in Edinburgh where I got stranded for the night, unaware of the strikes. The station had shut down and weren’t taking any passangers back west to Glasgow, so in a sense I was stranded. That’s my fault. I could’ve paid better attention to the news, postings and current events but luckily I had flexibility and some Quid in my pocket. I scored a cheap hostel and extended my stay in Edinburgh. After returning to Glasgow, I packed my things for the mainland.

THE MAINLAND: PHASE 2 OF THE JOURNEY

I flew into Amsterdam on a Tuesday afternoon, and after navigating the public transit system, managed to get to the hostel; about 20 minutes north of Amsterdam Centraal. Again, the strikes complicated things a bit. I managed to find a bus going that way without any issues. A European’s worst public transport woes is a decent experience for an American, sadly.

Sometimes you just gotta go with the Flow. Water does what it wants.

This is known well to the Dutch. The Dutch have fought the water more than they’ve fought invaders or each other. The entire country is located on the North Sea on low beds of soft land. The entire region is a river delta with some points well below sea-level, so flooding is an issue and not conducive to farming. Early settlers combated this by bending the water to their will. They constructed a maze of canals, dams and levies that formed the infrastructure of the country, lifting previously sunken land and forming ports that connected the sea to inland settlements. There are towns that have canals and but no roads. Their now iconic windmills pumped water and powered mills. They leveraged their growing economies and built an industry around trade and eventually exploration, becoming some of the most prolific navigators and establishing settlements across the globe. They took their marshy, wet land and created one of Europe’s strongest economies, that they spread across the globe.

Amsterdam Centraal, a boatload of tourists take in the sites.

I kinda liked that I didn’t know much about this area of Europe. I had no biases, and everything I knew about the city of Amsterdam were from stoner movies: probably written and directed by Americans. Not a reliable cultural resource. Amsterdam is so much more than weed, booze and prostitutes.

SOME FAVORITE SHOTS AROUND AMSTERDAM

SKETCHBOOK ENTRIES

Sketching at a cafe in Zeedijk Centrum, Amsterdam

Sketching ships and architecture in Edam & Volendam

THREE EVIL X’s

I love Amsterdam’s flag. It’s simple and packs a lot of meaning. The X’s are Saint Andrew’s crosses and are derived from the country’s coat of arms. They each represent a danger the city faced during the middle ages: Water (Flooding), Fire (Wooden Houses) and Plague, which ravaged the region in the 1300’s.

A BRIEF GEOGRAPHY LESSON

There’s more to this country than just Amsterdam. I knew very little of The Netherlands as a whole.

Before stepping foot in The Netherlands, I didn’t’ know about its rich history or geography. I wouldn’t have been able to tell you the difference between the Dutch, Danish, Holland or even where it was located on a map prior to my landing. Being a Millennial, I watched some YouTube videos in-between flights and train transfers to get a better sense of the country I was headed to.

So here’s a crash course:

“Holland” which I knew it as, only refers to 2 of the 12 provinces: North and South Holland. Amsterdam is located in North Holland. Calling it Holland isn’t incorrect, but it’s not the entirety of The Netherlands. The Dutch are what they’re known as, and DANISH people are from DENMARK, a country to the north – a fact I always mixed up and thought they were one in the same. Denmark and The Netherlands don’t border each other and are separated by Germany. Belgium borders the Netherlands to the southwest and Germany to the east and south. I explained the country’s war with water above.

So there, I’m a little less ignorant on that front.

It’s good reading and watching videos but it’s better to actually see it. In the past week I’ve ventured outside of Amsterdam to explore other cities and the countryside.

THE HAUGE & BEYOND

Jordan, a friend I knew from Milwaukee, lives in The Hauge – a city just south of Amsterdam. We’ve kept in touch and he’s been graciously hosting me at his home and giving me great tips on exploring the country with invaluable local insights. The Hauge, in my opinion, is a much better representation of life in The Netherlands. Slower and more relaxed than the hustle of Amsterdam. The Hauge is considered the government seat of the nation, while Amsterdam its cultural heart.

Binnenhof, Parliment Building, the government seat of The Netherlands

A Haven for Boaters and Cyclists

I took a day and biked along the famous Rhine River, following it to the North Sea. I started in the village of Voerden and biked a total of 65km (40 Miles).