From the Villages to the Queens or how we spent a week in Netherlands
20.05.2009
You will really be envious of what you will read now. But only 13 of us were lucky to experience it. We came to the one of the coziest parts of Europe, where we met the funniest and dearest people.
But I will start from the very beginning, because I don’t want you to miss anything from our trip and even though you didn’t visit this country with us, I want you to feel all the magic we met in this magical country.
We arrived to Eindhoven the city in the south of the Netherlands at the end of April. The very first spring impression of the Netherlands was so much greenery that our eyes met. WE could not find a better time to make this visit, because even though the weather at the day we arrived was not very promising all the other days it was warm and sunny.
Bunker. Here it was. The office of the hosting Antenna. Don’t be too scared of the name of this building, actually this was the nicest AEGEE office I’ve ever seen. Two rooms with Eifel towers on the walls, WII games(I liked tennis, never played it before, but that was cool), couches, plenty of stroopwafels, tea and coffee and of course plenty of the smart guys that were meeting us there with a welcoming smiles. Ideal place for our breakfasts and parties of course!
Even though organizer’s smiles were welcoming just from the start they decided to make a test for us – everyone received his/her own bike. That was really a trial, cause last time I rode a bike was in 5th grade at school, long time passed since then. As for Alla and Anya, they failed the test – they never knew how to ride a bike. But they were saved by the strong Dutch men who took them on their bikes.
So everyone got on the bike and from here we started to make first glimpses around Eindhoven. The way home took us about 15 minutes, during this time we passed city center, parks and lakes. But can you imagine a group of crazy, not very skillful Ukrainian bikers on the roads of Eindhoven? Yes, other bikers were afraid of us and were running from the road as soon as possible.
Hopefully no one was injured during way home. But what we understood ishow we will travel the whole week – on our own wheels!
Home, sweet home!!! Upstairs, here we go!! Hope its second floor? No? 3? No?? 4??? NO????? Yes, we can!!! Yes, there were a lot of stairs and a lot of us in the room, but that was so…so..team buildingJ! Everyone enjoyed those night when there were no need to sleep, but a need to talk. This feeling can only appear if you are hosted in a gym, or in Jonas’s living roomJ. Please see the photo to understand it better.
Our sightseeing started from Technical University Eindhoven.: so many buildings with so many departments, parks, dormitories around it. It is really huge. But the most impressive there was a sport center, I don’t remember exactly but we counted how many sports it has and the number was around 40, if I am not mistaken.
We were lucky to visit one of the greatest Dutch holidays – Queen’s Day. So many people in orange clothes you could have seen only during orange revolution in Kiev and nowhere else. It was nice to look at orange spots everywhere, to hear very loud music and to step all the time on plastic bear cups like after the bear cup’s rain. There were so many people on the streets that you would never have thought that this small city can fit them all in.
Party that night was awesome, actually as all parties there. Dancing on the tables, drinking games, games after you are already drunk, just crazy dances…and after all that a new trial!!! Returning home BY BIKE! Believe me – you never had so much fun! This was some kind of street racing you can’t even imagine. I must make a note again that no one was injured…yet.
Next day after having a nice breakfast on the warm balcony we went to the Historical open air museum. There we experienced old Dutch everyday life, saw their battles, houses, entertainments. We even came to the future teller who maid bright predictions for us. But the main her thought was that we will travel a lot with friends – maybe she knew we have AEGEE spirit????? J
After having a picnic and feeding the ducks we went to the swimming paradise, where we enjoyed several water slides, pools and Jacuzzi of course. I wonder how no one who played ball in the outdoor pool caught a cold, but for me it was so much fun, even though I was the one trying to intercept the ball all the time.
And of course again parties! This time dancing on the bar. Can you imagine, it was not just one or two people, but the whole group together with the barman dancing on the bar. Even though the club was totally empty at the beginning to the middle of the night more and more visitors came to check what is going on. And then again bikes. This time we had injured person. But I will not tell who was that, those who know – they know ;).
Then we went to the Amsterdam – the place where we were convinced that the world is really really small. Cause when sitting on the grass in the center of Amsterdam we met a familiar boy from Slovenia, who studies in Belgium and came here for weekends – that really convinced us the world is a small village. And of course we were amazed by the city, by its old buildings, nice parks, cafes, tulips, coffee shops… And of course sightseeing – boat trip around, sex museum, red light district… Even though we were a bit cold to the end, our amazing company warmed our hearts and will warm them with great memories from now on.
Here we go for a new trip around Netherlands. Now only 100 years back in time to the small Dutch village. I really like their style. Everyone tried on something from their clothes and looked very good in them. As for me I enjoyed bonnet s most of all, must buy one for myself.
So those who don’t believe that time machine exists – believe me, we really experienced time travelling – from the open air museum of the iron age and the middle ages to the village of 19th century and then back to technical nowadays.
In technical nowadays we had a typical AEGEE European night. Ukrainian national dresses, self cooked pancakes with meat, Ukrainian Salo(bacon) with dark bread and vodka of course from Ukrainian side and very tasty self made Dutch pancakes with apples and bacon, salads and of course stroopwafels!!! And again mixing national Ukrainian dances with traditional Dutch made a perfect party. That was the night, I am not even saying about one of the Ukrainian games called “Rucheek” or streams if to translate. Now I am sure this too Antennas are never bored and are party animals.
And even after the European night we have some energy left. Cause now we are moving to Antwerp, Belgium. In this nice city, in the country of French Fries, with a glass of tasty beer we enjoyed last hours of each other’s company. And even when we knew that the world is small and AEGEE is even smaller, still we started to feel sad because of the feeling that the story ends up. But what can we do? We can share the incredible memories and tag the photos. We can express how grateful we are to the organizers and how glad we will be to see them again. And we can only hope for another exchange between AEGEE-KIEV and AEGEE-EINDHOVEN!