Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Not In Kansas Anymore

Hello international friends and family! Life in Amsterdam is going very well. My classes are all very engaging, and I’m making some great new friends. I’m learning the city slowly but surely. Here are a few highlights of my past week or so:

Utrecht take two:

A bunch of my fellow IESers and I went back to Utrecht with one of our coordinators to go to a Dutch pancake house. This was no IHOP, this was really serious pizza sized full-breakfast-in-one-pancake pancake hose. I got banana and ginger, but I sampled many others such as apple and cheese and bacon/cheese/egg. See pictures for details.

After our pancakes we went to a Huis Doorn, a previous mansion, now museum for a very interesting tour. Wilhelm 11, the last German Emperor and previous owner of the mansion was a very unique character. If you’re interested in the history, here is the wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huis_Doorn

In culinary news:

I have had French fries with mayonnaise. Generally, I am anti-mayo, but I see the appeal with fries. In small doses I can handle it. Another Dutch snack is Bitterballen. They are deep fried balls, 1-2 inches in diameter, filled with thickened beef broth and meat inside, often served with mustard. They can’t be good for you, but they’re pretty tasty. The Dutch are also really into kiwi-beverages, which I don’t think I’ve ever seen before, but they’re really good. As I looked through the chip isle at a local store, I was very amused to find “Cool American” Doritos. You may know they as “Cool Ranch,” but ranch must be uniquely American, hence the name.

Queer Nightlife:

I have only gone out on the town a couple of times. One night we went to Drag Queen Bingo night at a gay bar. This was my first experience with either, and it was a ton of fun. I even won a round and got a rainbow-striped hat, which is very practical as it is very cold and windy. Some other prizes weren’t so practical, and I’ll leave it at that. On the flip side of the queer world, I also went to a Drag King party a few nights ago. There was no bingo, but it was equally as fun. Coming from Bedminster and State College, I’ve never experienced a lot of this culture. Certainly a lot of eye-openers.

BIKE!

Today, I bought a bike. It only has one gear, and back-peddle breaks. I was very nervous, not having ridden a bike in almost 10 years, and being left in a sling after that last time. I’ll be honest- I am terrified in traffic, and I’m probably the slowest biker out there. But my friends are very patient, and I’m told that in a week I’ll be more comfortable. I hope so, if only for the sake of my anatomy that constantly bounces on the seat while going over cobblestone streets. Painful.

2 comments:

  1. Howdy.

    It's taken a while to figure out how to join in your blog but I think this should work. Sounds like it's taken a while for you to get your Dutch on but your later entries are a bit more encouraging. So far the nights on the town seem more interesting than your classes. Lot's to learn on the street for sure but I hope the pedantic side of the trip perks up and you learn some good stuff. From your description I wonder if the folks who organized this expedition did an adequate job of preparation. A good rule of thumb is to find the best teacher, not necessarily the class you need. I bet there are a lot of former Princeton students who regret never sitting in on one of Einstein's classes, probably because they never asked "who's the smartest person here who will probably be famous in 10 years?"
    Folks there are likely celebrating some Dutch Olympic achievements. A fine opportunity to share in their victory. Needless to say you shouldn't emphasize the fact that the US has 15 times the medals they do. Or that the Government has been dissolved over the issue of Dutch involvement in the Afghanistan "war". Keep your politics close to your vest.
    Brenin and I are hard at work on our new farming venture. For me it's only a little less daunting than going back to medical school again. A whole lot of planning, money borrowing, physical work, and learning a new and complex skill. What is now 26 acres of scabby corn should, if I've done my home work, be a hopyard, garden and greenhouse operation by the end of this year as well as being part of an organic cooperative still in formation. It's like juggling hand grenades...exciting, but risky. Brenin is stoked. It's good to feed off his energy and expertise. I do ask myself, though, why he had to attend one of the most elite and pricey colleges in the world to be a farmer? Oh well. Think about it..
    I'm sure you're up to your eyebrows in work but if you can you might do well to learn a bit about Dutch history from their end, particularly the trajectory of 16 and 17 century mercantilism....they wrote the book and a lot of it was written in blood. The nonsense today's financial world is perpetrating on the rest of us has it's root's in the Dutch model of business which has not evolved in pace with the world's needs. .
    And you simply must go skating on the Holland Canal or the Zuider Zee or wherever it was that Hans Brinker won his silver skates, Oh, I forgot ..that was before global warming. Silver swim suit???
    Eat some herring for me.

    love

    Uncle T

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