Amsterdam

I am writing this post fresh off a trip to Amsterdam (Netherlands) and Brugge (Belgium). The trip was amazing. We departed London at around 6:45 am, drove 2.5 hours to Dover. Here we were able to view the famous white cliffs that poets such as John Keats have often written about. From Dover, we took a ferry across the English channel to the port of Calais France. From Calais, the tour brought us through Belgium and into Amsterdam. There is so much to say about Amsterdam but I will start by describing the landscape of this beautiful city.

Amsterdam is built on a series of canals that dissect the entire city. The road map looks like a grid that has canals running perpendicular with streets running along the canals and across them. The buildings are extremely old and have oddly shaped roofs that often resemble Christmas trees. Everyone that resides in the city ride bicycles and there is always a bike lane next to the lane for cars. Anyone that makes the conscious decision to drive an automobile, drives a smart car (they are about 4 feet tall and 4 feet wide). The native language is Dutch and it is very weird to hear people speak it. It is sounds like a more throaty version of German (as if you ever thought that was possible).

Here I will outline some of the cultural differences I picked up on. Amsterdam is a city that is known for it's liberal tendencies towards drug use and prostitution. So when I embarked on my journey to Holland, I really wasn't sure what to expect. However, when I arrived I encountered a general public that was extremely friendly and laid back. It was a drastic change from London where although friendly, people are always in a rush and seem concentrated on getting to work and getting out of the city as quick as possible. I would really like for George Bush and all the Americans who believe that Marijuana is a drug that will make you crazy and dysfunctional to take a visit to Amsterdam and to casually take notice that there is a fully functional economy and society that is known for it's low crime and homicide rates. Note that I am condoning the use of drugs, I just think it's quite absurd that government officials have historically gone through such great lengths to prohibit the use of a drug that's less harmless than alcohol or cigarette consumption.

The food in Amsterdam was terrific. It reminded me of a previous trip to rural Strasbourg France on the eastern coast. Crepes, Pastries, and meat are the main fixtures of their diet. I really wish that I could eat food that tasty all day. Some of the sights we saw were the Royal Palace, the National Monument, The Red Light District, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Anne Frank House. The Van Gogh had the most extensive collection of Van Gogh paintings that I have ever seen. It was unbelievable. The Anne Frank House was very interesting. One of my roommates is Jewish and he had a very strong reaction to the house. The Frank's hid in a two room area about the size of an average family living room with around 6 people for almost 4 years until they were discovered. Standing in the actual room I started to think about how scared a young girl like Anne Frank must have felt when the Germans marched through the streets. The constant fear of being caught and shipped to an execution camp at her young age must have been horrible. To think that she experienced such hatred at such a young age truly disturbed me.

We departed Amsterdam and stopped in Brugge Belgium on our journey back to the ferry. Brugge is a very antiquated medieval town. There is actually a church there that claims to have a vial of Christ's blood. I come from a Catholic family so that is a very big deal to them. Brugge had a totally different feel than Amsterdam. All of the streets were composed of stones and a great deal of the people traveled by horse and carriage. There were numerous quaint little chocolate, pastry, and sandwich shops that had some of the best foods I have ever tasted. I bought world famous Belgian Chocolates for my girlfriend (I don't think there could be a better gift for Valentines Day). Brugge is one of those unknown cities that never gets talked about but I will always remember and recommend to those who get the opportunity to experience it. We returned to London via the English channel and all took naps.

I will never forget my trip to Amsterdam. The culture, food, atmosphere, and beauty of the city hit me in an unprecedented way. The trip increased my excitement for traveling after the program ends. Signing off.

In One Weeks Time...

Greetings from London! It has been one entire week and I have done so many things. We arrived in London one week ago and made our way to our apartments. The program director for the Hansard Scholars Programme thought we would be arriving later so we were stuck on the street for about an hour. This gave us the opportunity to talk to a few locals and cab drivers. The program has put us up in one of the richest neighborhoods in London; South Kensington. It is mind boggling. It is so rich that there is actually a law in South Kensington/Chelsea that says you cannot be loud after 11 pm. There are 9 of us in our flat. I have two direct roommates who are from Cornell and Marist College. They are great guys. The others are from states such as Washington, South Dakota, and Alabama. We are also paired with 9 graduate students from countries such as Kosovo, Tanzania, Georgia, Argentina, and Czech Republic. This definitely allows for some interesting conversations about politics and culture.

London has so much to offer in terms of sights, foods, and drinks. The culture revolves heavily upon drinking. For instance, we are studying at the world famous London School of Economics. On campus there are 3 bars, and a nightclub. After class it is not unusual for students to go have a pint and chat about issues. There is a central artery through campus that hosts student tables for issues such as Green Peace, Oxfam, and a myriad of other student advocacy groups. In addition, soccer is extremely popular. Today we went to a local pub and watched Manchester United battle their rival team Liverpool. People get really intoxicated and scream at the television. I really enjoyed this atmosphere. It is mindboggling to think that soccer players here are some of the most popular people in the press and get paid millions of pounds every year.

It was hard getting used to the system of currency they use here. They have 1 pound coins, 2 pound coins, and all the rest of the currency we have. They also have 2p coins which I often confuse with 2 pound coins. It is easier to spend money here because we Americans don't value coins.

We met a local named Marty who bought us drinks at a local pub and talked football with us. The tube is a great subway system compared the to the T in Boston. There are electronic signs that tell you when the next train is coming, there is an all night bus system that values tube passes, and the trains are always quiet. That was probably one of the only culture shock elements I experienced. In Britain, the proper role for a person riding the train is to mind their own business and remain silent. The other culture shock element I have experienced is the FOOD. It is bad. I tried the meat pie... believe me... they were right when they said "don't try the meat pie." Bacon is fatty ham, hot dogs are greasy sausage, and they eat such small portions. I think I've discovered why Americans are so overweight. Even portions at fast food chains such as Burger Kind are smaller. Well that is enough for my first entry. I am getting along well with my roommates and having a fabulous time. Tomorrow we are getting our internship placements. Singing off.

Goodbye

This is the first of many posts that will be made on this blog. Tomorrow Evening I depart for London England. I will studying at London School of Economics and interning in Parliament. I am extremely excited about this opportunity. This experience will certainly change my life in a myriad of ways and I am completely open to this. High hopes and aspirations are certainly inhabiting my body and mind right now. I will miss all of my friends, family, and loved ones and this will be a test of a lot of things. But I believe I am ready to embark on this journey.

Next stop... London.