The Netherlands

For the summer holidays this year, Me and Hannah planned a trip together to the Netherlands. Coincidentally we both failed certain subject so the trip was put on hold. Eventually I decided to take this solo trip and wonder off. Travelling alone isn't that horrific. Depending on yourself, you get to certain places and even meet people out of your expectation. It really helps to keep an open mind and be approachable. Safety was really an issue for me but letting loose is a valuable trait I desire now.

There was a few moments when strangers would approach me. One time in Den Haag, I was probably thinking about me failing studio, this lady thought I was crying and kept asking if I was okay. Another time I was really excited travelling Rotterdam and did the expression of yata with huge exclamation from Heroes, this other lady had to smile and told me some kind words. Well now, relaxing isn't such a bad thing. Anyway now that I am taking up Kendo, I have to make my body relax.

Short introduction of the Rotterdam blitz, since the centre was almost entirely rumbled down to the ground during WWII, it is different from the other cities that I visited, of skyscrapers rather than historical buildings. But, shopping in Rotterdam was really satisfying. Unfortunately, I didn't visit the area where most of the museums are situated because they are all closed on Mondays!

Somewhere around Beursplein. This is probably where I found Rotterdam most interesting with the shopping arcade. I don't know what is the brown building at the background but the facade looks intriguing to me.

Kids literally run scream fall and slide here with the water installation. Well now, mostly turkish kids with their parent's watchful eyes from behind but the distance between both end of the arcade seems to interject personal involvement. It was a sight to see pedestrians getting smack by huge balloons of soap.

I kid you not, it is algae, or whatever form of it with projection of words. The background is a construction of a new residential building.. Probably everywhere else there is construction on-going. My group mate Jan discussed before about plans for revitalizing the waterfront of Rotterdam. At large, Antwerp and Rotterdam was the closest contact I had of a city during my exchange.

This is Utrecht, generally the pubic square at Neude was the place to go. I went there for the Trajectum Lumen, a historical trail with light installation. The official map at first ridiculed me because it was all white text in black. When the sun finally set, downlight with arrows direct the trail, that-ta-way to give people the mode to search. As I start, there was almost no one on the street, save one or two passer-by. It didn't matter much to me but the path would only be lite until midnight. With any european town center, there had to be a church. I came across a few but somehow it seems that the bells wouldn't stop chinning, all the more a feel for adventure.

Not far away, probably the Dormkerk is the highlight of the trail for me. Apart from seeing churches and facade lighted up, this was a little more interactive. Walking on the path at first, it was barely lit.. but at a certain point, all the trees take turns to be lighted up. There was also background music, similar to the music you hear from opening a jewelry box.

When I did went back to Stone hostel, I found it odd that there is curfew hours. It was later on, speaking to this old man whom haha had no game but I felt sympathetic for, told me that the road leading to Billstraat is where drug dealers do their business along with the customs of prostitutes. The old man was anyway nice to give me a tour around and we went in to this post office which would be converted into a shopping mall in the future.