“When people ask me why I still have hope and energy after all these years, I always say: Because I travel.” Gloria Steinem
After almost 4 months, our ship-home, MV World Odyssey’s, final port was Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In many ways, Amsterdam was the ideal site for ending our Voyage. Many of our companions on the Semester at Sea (SAS) Voyage embarked on more travel throughout Europe. For us, we were ready to get back to our Louisville, KY home, aka Casa de Paz.
Being in Amsterdam
And, yet, we were also happy to have a few days (April 21-26) to enjoy the Dutch ambience and reflect on our journey. Amsterdam was the starting point of our first international trip together, in 1990, during which we toted two trusty backpacks through five countries in three weeks. Indelibly, we remember taking the subway from the airport to arise into the streets of Amsterdam, and the exhilarating feeling of “We’re in Europe!” On that visit, we did a lot! We aahed on the canals and oohed at the windmills. We wandered about the streets, including the infamous Red-Light district. We visited nearby villages, major sites, as well as, art and history museums.
In an article, a resident described Amsterdam as “the most beautiful, tiny big city in the world, and…home.” In our travels, we’ve learned the difference in travel to see; travel to do; and travel to be. In this visit to Amsterdam, we decided to focus on being in Amsterdam. We wanted some slow time to let the intensity of our four-month kinetic adventure soak into our cells. We needed to absorb, reflect, rest. We are grateful to Amsterdam for providing us this space: Because we had been there before, and just because it’s Amsterdam, it was ideal for a lovely limbo. We weren’t “home,” and yet we felt a sense of “home” there.
We selected a hotel (XO Hotel) on the outskirts of Amsterdam, rather than the busy Center City. The hotel was in the Hoofddorppleinbuurt area! We have no idea how to pronounce that—but what fun to have been there. 😊The area was charming and comfortable: Canals, coffeeshops, and cafes! Green spaces, groceries, and good perches for people-watching and relaxing.
We spent our days there, walking in the parks, meandering the streets, and just being part of the neighborhood. We connected with SAS friends for dinner a couple of evenings. Larry ventured into the town Center for the “Heineken Experience” and to try his hand at the local casino. Erlene savored that day in the spacious hotel room—reading, writing, napping.
Orange, We Glad We Came
Our first order of business, though, after checking into the hotel, was to find a “real” cup of coffee. And, indeed, we did—at a nearby café/bar, served in an orange cup, no less! This local meeting place became “our place,” where we returned several times.
Happily, orange is the color of The Netherlands! We were there a few days prior to “King’s Day,” and so even more orange festooned the city! King’s Day, celebrated on April 27, used to be Queen’s Day. But, in 2013, Queen Beatrix, handed over the monarchy to her son, Willem-Alexander—after over 30 years. Never fear, though, Catharine Amalia, Princess of Orange (What a great title!) is first in line to reclaim the throne. Then, it shall revert to Queen’s Day. Or, perhaps, they will change it to Non-Binary Orange Day!
We were sorry to leave before the festivities of King’s Day! Apparently, it’s party-time—plus, there’s a huge flea market. (Hmmm, maybe that’s why Larry booked the return flight to avoid that day!) But, orange we glad to have been there! We came to a deep appreciation for the shades of Mother Ocean blue. But, we delighted in the bounteous orange and glorious green that greeted us in Amsterdam.
Tiptoe Through the Tulips with Us
And, then, we went to the Keukenhof Gardens in Lisse, with the largest bulb flower park in the world fpr the annual Tulip Festival. Talk about beautiful colors: 32 hectares, 800 varieties of tulips, 7 million bulbs. Over 500 growers cooperate to bring this beautiful garden to bloom. The 2019 theme was “Flower Power”—with “bright colors, hippies, peace, and music.” Groovy and Gorgeous!
Open for 8 weeks, this festival has over 1 million visitors. We highly recommend that you be one of those million. Meanwhile, we hope the photos below will brighten your world, as it does for us!
Yikes, the Bikes; Tall Tales; & Cheesy Life
“Look right, look left, look right again, step out…and get hit by a bike!”—These were the wise words given by the SAS student from The Netherlands, as he prepared us for visiting his beloved country. We will associate the Netherlands with orange coffee cups, splendid tulips, traditional windmills, and beautiful canals. (Oh, and the commonplace whiffs of the local “herb” that wafted our way!) But, really, bikes and more bikes will be our enduring image of Amsterdam!
And, this image is a quintessential metaphor of Amsterdam. A culture in which bicyclists have the right of way, then pedestrians, then motor vehicles says a lot about that culture. Cycling connotes a slower pace of life, an open-ness to the world, healthier lifestyles, and connection to the environment. As such, the Dutch culture has some of the best social and health indicators in the world. For instance, homelessness is miniscule; environmental protections are prioritized. The Netherlands is one of the most progressive countries in the world for LGBTQ rights and emphasizes gender equity.
And, here’s a tantalizing tall tale, no lie: The Dutch are the tallest people in the world! This growth index has been attributed to the Netherlands having the most plentiful and healthy food on the planet…and, some believe, it’s the CHEESE! Fortunately, the Dutch are the largest exporters of cheese in the world. So, we can continue to taste Amsterdam, even as we return from our tall travels.
Connecting the Dots: Colonialism, Consumerism, (Global) Citizenship
We would be remiss, if we did not comment in this post about one of the most poignant and important threads in our travels: The lasting legacy of imperialism. Dutch colonization and slave trade is historical fact, albeit downplayed. Undoubtedly, the Dutch wealth is embedded in historical subjugation. The effects of the extraction of resources and the fragmentation of the social fabric of countries in Africa are compelling and complicated. Seeing the negative, enduring effects in the countries we visited was sobering. Seeing the resilience of cultures, innovations borne from necessity, and tenacity of human spirits was inspiring.
Exacerbating the long-standing effects of colonialism are the growing problems fed by consumerism. As has been true throughout modern history, the tentacles of consumerism and capitalism affect every aspect of communal life. For instance, enslavement (in its varied forms) is excused by capitalistic “necessity.” Degradation of “other” members of the human family is too often part of the capitalistic equation of “success.” Likewise, degradation of Mother Earth and Mother Ocean—through pollution, plastic proliferation, and other means—is ignored. The interests of big business and mindless consumerism seem to trump all else. And, repeatedly, the Global North is the victor/oppressor, while the Global South pays the higher price.
However, this division of the “haves” and “have nots” is not sustainable. Through our travels and seeing the interconnections, we are utterly convinced of the necessity of Global Citizenship. As we leave the Netherlands, we are inspired by its commitment to the environment and other values. We hope this country will leverage its richness even more to make the world a better place—especially in partnerships with Global South countries, humane immigration policies, and attention to insidious racism.
In global citizenship, we are one orb—not just different countries, religions, and peoples. In global citizenship, we must learn how and act to save and sustain OUR home—the planet. And, we, each and all, have a role to play. Even as—and perhaps, especially as—we return home, we recommit to our global citizenship.
