So I tried to enjoy the Netherlands, and specifically Amsterdam for what it was. A strange and kind of austere contradiction... reserved, dignified, orderly, pristine, polite, and cultured, while at the same time racous, experimentary, blatant, daring, liberal, gregarious.
Not my place, but it was fun to visit for a few days.
On my last full day in the city I wandered around for serveral hours and stumbled onto a lovely little square... and since it was sunday, everyone was out. I ended up chatting with an adorable old Dutch man as we watched a giant game of chess being battled out for over an hour. He was duely impressed with my chess knowledge, and I silently spent the hour thanking Justin over and over again for the hours of forced lessons. Of course... that was until he started blasting things like, "White! What are you thinking?? You have to protect your E5 space, or in 9 moves he's going to sweep in like a demon on F12! It's lost, White! You've ruined it! You'll be gone in 20 moves now!" Thinking that I would understand what the heck he was talking about, and lementing White's horrible impending doom of 20 moves away as well. So maybe I was a teensy bit out of my league... but it was still fun.
I spent most of my time in the Netherlands with some lovely English girls I met on my boat.
And yes... before you ask... I went to the Netherlands and went to a zoo. But while the animals looked pretty much as they do in the states, the signs were in Dutch, so really it was a cultural immersion. And we took lots of goofy pictures, most of which I'll spare you.
1 comment:
I don't think you're turtle-y enough for the Turtle Club. :p
The giant chess game reminds me of the Pixar short, where the old man is playing himself.
Oh, and those 'exciting experiences' that you want to have wherever you go, that's not being spoiled. Call me crazy, but who goes on an adventure and says, 'man, I sure wish this was like every other trip I've taken!'
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