“Ya’ll come back now, ya hear!” says Amsterdam

When the major tourist attractions of a place are a red light district and Mary Jane coffee shops one might not imaging a classy trip. ‘One’ might be right in my opinion. The first words that come to mind when I think of my recent visit to Amsterdam are meat and market. Holland is a land of windmills, Heineken, and hoards of young, misbehaving tourists.

For the liberal minded traveler a shrug of shoulders may be the response to legal pot, prostitution, and mushrooms. A crowd other than the one I enjoy rolling with tends to be drawn in by this sort of an environment. Weed loving Americans frolic in the streets like kids in a candy shop.

I am sure there is a wholesome and cleaner side of Amsterdam though it was hard to see from where I was staying. In the red light district the pretty canal views were obstructed by crazy eyed individuals and boys window shopping for naked girls. “Oooooohhhh! Tisk, tisk!” says I.

FYI, the going rate for legal shag is 50 Euros. Which is cheaper: a professional or a girl in a bar selling it for momentary attention? I choose the latter. Can the prostitute truly compartmentalize her business from pleasure? If sex is learned to be a business transaction, than I would conclude that a professional could be better equipped to separate her core being from the actual act. A girl partaking in meaningless sex with strangers may be selling herself while the prostitute sells a service.

Then again maybe we are all what we do. The jobs we choose must be a reflection and direct result of the lives we choose to live and the people we choose to be. If this is the case than I would argue that people selling themselves at a discount rate may be found on street corners, bars, courtrooms, accountant firms, doctor’s offices, libraries, Laundromats, and MOST certainly in Amsterdam.

Innovation from Desperation

The following was in response to a Fulbright scholar who studies entrepreneurs and the common characteristics that lead to their success. Those interested in Business should check out his blog: http://timetogetstarted.wordpress.com/

In addition to the renewed invigoration of an entrepreneurial spirit and true personal passions I would like to comment on one benefit financial turmoil has afforded me: perspective.

At first glance recent graduates appear at a disadvantage to our predecessors who left college with a plethora of job options. During the Clinton years entry level salaries were quite high. Newbies learned to love the green and ran with it.

Warm and fuzzies associated from the purchases of fancy cars, nice homes, and bling tend to wear off once reality hits. The realities, to name a few, came in the form of high gas prices, mortgage meltdown, and DIVORCE....of course she left your ass, you were always working!

We measly recent graduates, who have to taste a bit of what it is like to work hard, be poor, and get creative in order to achieve our goals, should count ourselves lucky. My alternative route brought me to Brussels where I am picking up some French and teaching English to children. If I had rushed straight into the career world I probably would have missed out on this experience. Golden opportunity time: the world is giving us the perfect excuse to stay young, enjoy youth, and slow down. I am going to take it. Put on your favorite soul record and do what feels right.

I feel blessed that I was not handed a shiny job straight out of college. Now I can properly plan for the future with some real world perspective. Not to mention the fine tuning of my mad karaoke skills. Here's to the good life!

The sign above the entrance/exit of Christiania

If it sounds too good to be true…

 

Nothing is free in life. Least of all an entire TOWN! Christiania, Denmark deems itself a "free town" where the use of cannabis is sold and consumed openly. This may sound like a dream to some but from my visit to this wonderland of potheads I believe that dream grew into a nightmare.

A brief history of Christiania:

1971: a group of tree hugging, pot smoking hippies took over abandoned military barracks to create their own island town once called Amager Island.

1989: legalized by the Danish Parliament.

1991: inception of a local law deeming Christiania a "free zone", open to all, car free, and under the control of its inhabitants.

2004: Danish authorities crack down on the cannabis trade in Christiania. Inhabitants now operate more on the down low. The open stalls closed and the pot was moved outside of Copenhagen. However, this has not diminished the pot sales on Pusher Street. If anything it has a broader dissemination throughout Copenhagen with harder drugs being easier to access.

2005: Various gangs begin the fight for control over the newly opened underground cannabis market.

April 23, 2009: Just a few days before my arrival in Christiania a hand grenade was thrown at a crowded café. A young man's chin was blown off and several others were injured.

 

Christiania is a perfect example of an idealistic society gone awry through increasing sanctions from outside parties and a lack of internal control. These people literally tossed a bunch of potheads together and wound up with some pretty art, yoga stretches, and decent music if you are stoned. However, this free love has culminated in violence, pollution, and hypocrisy.

Despite its being a car free zone there are over a hundred car owners residing in Christiania. Many welfare, homeless, addicts, and single mothers find refuge within the city. I did not spot any large gardens full of vegetables and fruits in order to sustain its residents. No butcher signs or cattle ranches on this island. One can only conclude that as independent as they believe themselves to be many if not most of the Christianites are dependent upon the hard working citizens of Copenhagen and Denmark as a whole. They seem to reap the benefits of those who produce the most output while not giving much back as input. They are smoking, dancing, and drinking on the Danish kroner of others. Sounds like someone needs to grow up and get a job.

Drugs tend to breed a culture of lazy, self indulgent adults. The "love thy land" hippies of yester year have been replaced by littering, too cool for school rebels. The art community still thrives and seems to shine through the thick smoke clouds but it's no Louvre.

All in all the wild atmosphere with its Scottish rap outfit performing and awkward Dane on the accordion could not outweigh the fear I had of tripping on a dead dog and falling on a bed of needles and broken glass. I left for greener pastures and normalcy. Ironic since there were signs that read "Normalia".

Where the Green Grass Grows

Happy is the feeling that comes to mind whilst walking through castle gardens. Today Kimberley, Chloe, and I spent a lovely day frolicking (yes, we frolicked) through Hyacinth and Tulip filled gardens. With rickety bridges and a castle to boot, it was a day of great beauty. We even brought the smell home with us thanks to the Hyacinths Kimberley purchased on our way out. I find it difficult being anything other than content basking in their fragrance, typing some words on the computer, and drinking chocolate milk.

To end this fun filled day I am planning my trip to Copenhagen next weekend to see my Aunt Carrie and (soon to be) Uncle Ajay. A very exciting few weeks lay ahead. The following weekend I head back to Paris for a rowdy weekend with Miss Marie Humbert-Droz, the one and only. After all I MUST return her favorite cozy socks that I seem to have stolen. Urgent and pressing matters indeed…

It is nice to have the family back in the house. I was beginning to have conversations with myself which was a bit confusing. :0

Any who, I believe it is time to sit back and watch some telly. By the way, just watched Happy Go Lucky by Mike Leigh: please watch this movie! This girl is totally me. Mom I think you will agree. This is the story of a totally wacky, single 30 year old who is so concerned with the happiness of those around her that she tends to take it to extremes. An absolute must see.

Still here

Just want to say hello to everyone. I have not been keeping up with this blog as I have been quite busy teaching English to small children at a language school. It is great fun.

What can I say? Making friends, still eating great food (some of which I have actually cooked!), and working on lesson plans. Who woulda thunk it?

Last night I sang at karaoke with some new friends and had a really fun time. I still think Detour is the best...

Its funny how NYC is known as the city that never sleeps. But I am not sure I have been in a bar in nyc that actually is "legally" open all night long. Here in Belgian, known to many (unjustly) as a boring place, I have been to SEVERAL bars that stay open until dawn. And people are happily still going til the wee hours. Usually that is reserved to the clubby places in other big cities, but here its just normal bars open all night. I am not advocating staying out all night, just merely making another arguement against the preposterous idea that Brussels is a boring city. Quite the contrary.

There are buildings and walls throughout the city adorned with comic characters for heavens sake. Loosy, goosy.