Netherlands - Part 1

Had a bit of slogging to do at office. Hence couldn’t put this post earlier. Even now, just managed to squeeze some time for this, to have it in the web before the American long weekend stories hit the stands. ;)

I never thought that a holiday visit with a gang of 12 desi friends would stir so much of thoughts within.

Netherlands, I know is a unique country with
1. Prostitution legally allowed
2. Brown café selling weeds legally
3. A flat Pan Cake country [lowest is -7m below mean sea level, highest is 380m above mean sea level].
4. 42% of the country is below sea level and is protected by dykes and dams build across the sea.
5. 20% of the total land area is reclaimed from sea.

Little did I know that, I will end up travelling through the country side visiting 4 cities in 3 days, getting enough time in between to think on what I had seen.

Since this was an off the fly trip, flights were either fully booked or very costly. The choice was either to cross the North Sea or the English Channel. While we were deciding, the North Sea route also got fully booked. The only option was to take the Coach-Ferry-Coach through France and Belgium into Netherlands.

On reaching there, and after checking in and refreshing, I had been to the tourist info centre to look out for and book for package deals. There was a queue and it took me abt 30 mins. As I came out, my pals had already started their Amsterdam tour. Yes, some of them went to the café and initiated themselves into the grass root level. [and later some of them got sick, felt blown out and headed for the hostel in the afternoon. that is a different story in itself. ]

After some roaming around in the central parts of the city, it was time for lunch.
There are a lot of Indonesian cuisines, as a mark of the Dutch East India company’s exploits. As it happens always with a large group, we had to split into smaller sub groups based on preferences. I belonged to the one which just had Margaritta pizza.

The plan for the afternoon was just to roam around the city following the various Amsterdam Walks and to visit the Heineken brewery. Got to know the ins and outs of the Brewing process, and was offered a complimentary coupon for 3 pints, which I exchanged for cola, and a souvenir beer glass.

Next stop was the hyped Sex Museum. This did not turn out to be interesting for me. Just ran through it fast and came out asap.

While waiting on the streets I found the lamp posts modeled to show ‘XXX’. Fyi, the flag of Amsterdam has them.


This foto has the following identities of Amsterdam
1. The XXX lamp post
2. Distinct bicycle lane
3. The tram line
4. The indonesian connection. [The man in the bicycle]
5. The teasers bar, famous for it body shot.

It was time for the sunset and the default pilgrimage to the world famous Red Light district began. Though I had read about this place earlier, it was a huge shock for me initially, with all the scantily clad women peeping out of the red lighted door sized glass windows lining the streets. I was initially very uncomfortable and developed a pitiable reaction to them. But in sometime, I happened to understand the professionalism there.

I could see tourists, families, with children, even desi families with children strolling in the core of the district!. As I read somewhere, the two questions raised by somebody before visiting the place is, 'Is it Safe? Will it be a shock?' and the answer for both are a 'Yes'.

It was just business, as much as an accountants office. I happened to come across this article which has approached the business academically. The following lines from that seemed to be very true.

In Amsterdam, the commodification of bodies has been perfected
to the level of an art form. The red-light district resembles the
modern open-air shopping mall in the United States. Relatively
clean streets, little crime, a neon atmosphere, and windows and
windows of women to choose from--every size, shape, and color
(though not in equal amounts).

As one half of the gang decided to watch a live show, the other half of us found our way to a Thai restaurant and then to the hostel to retire after the long day.

To be Contd...