Katwijk an Zee

Today I rode to the sea, which is 7km away. This is my story.


I now understand the 17th century Dutch landscape painter's mentality. Because of the vast, flat land, the sky above and to the horizon is mostly unobstructed.

Lost in Amsterdam

This morning, it snowed...
... and snowed,
And snowed...

My trusty, rusty bicycle.

Kamerlingh Omnes, the namesake of the law school, with a new tupe.

Snow and sunshine: ingredients for LIFE!

It's a Saturday, so down to the markets...

...for some Holland New, my new habit.

Saturday afternoon.

Houseboat interior.

I left John and Sarah at their houseboat in the north of Amsterdam to go and explore and get lost in Amsterdam by myself.

But first, I had to get past this swarm of cultish black birds! They followed me zombie-like down the street! This is only a tenth of the whole flock!

Across the IJ by ferry and into Amsterdam, I walked the streets, took photos, feeling lost and free in a new big city.

No, not at all.

Shoot the Chef!

The Prinsengracht and the Hartenstraat: a study of a found street section.



After sunset, I went into a brown cafe and had a hot chocolate and made a drawing.
As I stepped outside, it snowed.

Orientation Day 2

On this second day of University orientation, a Dutch doctor came in to tell explain the Dutch medical system. One has to go to a huisarts (GP) before going to ER. There was a whole lecture dedicated to "Dealing with the Dutch", of which the most important lesson is "Doe maar gewoon, dan doe je al gek genoeg!". This is the Dutch Constitution and it translates as 'Act normally, you are already strange enough yourself'. The phrase advocates modesty as there is essentially no moral difference between individuals.

The Dutch police came in to talk about drugs and drug policy, where they are grown, where they are bought, where not to be bought, and not to try them.

Some students took us on a supermarket tour.

Some things to try: revelin/rivilen?, stroopwafel, vlag and rookwurst. Stay posted!

Ingenious design! Now four trays can fit on a table at once!

I first encountered the Burcht a few nights ago, late on a rainy night. I think it is Leiden's best-kept secret, so far. Hidden in the very centre of town, right under one's very nose, is a fort on a hill. All the more surprising because of the flatness of the rest of the town and environs.

From the top, one has an unobstructed 360-degree view of the town. From up here, Leiden's narrow alleys, churchs, winter trees, and neat and closely-packed houses looks like Paris!

Riding around Leiden at nighttime, I feel like I'm in a different century. Most of the streets are old and cobble-stone, the buildings are old and the streetlights give a dim, golden glow.

Orientation Day 1

ORIENTATION DAY 1.
They told us: "if it ain't Dutch, it ain't much."

I also met a lot of other international students, including from France, South Africa and the Czech Republic.

Strained expression explained by my riding a bike.

A day not ...cheers, is a day not lived!