The Amsterdam update

I get back from Rotterdam and Amsterdam, late for the 0900-1200 Derivatives class but in time for lunch at home before the 1500-1800 Design Management class.

Writing an account of the travels in detail gets boring, especially when you do it in bulk, and about five week-ends, pre-dating blog entries.

I’ll spare you the precious knowledge of every train I took and every meal I had but read on for the Amsterdam update, written in brief.

October 29^th to November 2^nd

Rotterdam is reached via Paris. Ethan and Navya are on exchange at Rotterdam and this weekend play host to a whole cricket team: the 5 from JIBS, Kodhi from St.Galens, Tommy from Germany, ID from Liepzig, Phuku from Milan, Shubha from Nice and me!!

The evening of 30^th is spent chilling at home as people pour in from all over W.Europe.

30^th October sees ten little Indians in Amsterdam (an hour by train from Rotterdam). I am no longer touring alone and the company is appreciated. But people keep stopping every 10 paces and enter every third store, hunting for the perfect souvenir / gift. No real sight-seeing is achieved but a ride in the fair at Daam Square gives enough thrills for the afternoon. Come evening, and we check out the cafes of Amsterdam before heading for the famed Red Light Area. A good three hours are spent taking in the many sights in wonder before we call it a day.

31^st October – a revisit to Amsterdam after we get down at Den Haag (The Hague) and board the next train without visiting the ICJ. Similar story as the previous day – lunch and shopping in the flea market at Waterlooplein is all we have time for before it is dark. I don’t mind as the entry to Anne Frank Huis and the van Gogh, Rembrandnt museums cost money. Give me roaming the streets any day, well maybe not any day.

November 1^st – I manage a couple of hours wandering across Antwerp, Belgium en route to Lille, Paris and the overnight train home. A few pages of International Finance are also taken in before I dig into Reminiscences of the Cuban Revolutionary War by Che Guevera. The battle scenes are engrossing and bring to mind ACK’s Mahabharata. Che’s The Motorcycle Diaries captures the romance of travelling brilliantly while this book gives you a revolutionary hero...