Utrecht, The Hague, Rotterdam #6: Hung over in Hague
I take everything back. Forget everything I said about the Netherlands, and especially about those Dutchies. I love them. All of them. Every single one. Maybe not every single one, but they do rock, one could say. They can be the most open and pleasant people I've ever seen. A conversation about me being Belgian and having a weird accent, an invite to sit at the bar turned into one of the most fun evenings and nights I can remember. I won't go into detail here, this being online and all. I refer myself to my green journal. My penned records and my hangover is all I will have left from yesterday night. No fotos were taken, no numbers exchanged. Just my memory to smile back on. Thanks G...., J...., B....(I think), E...., J...., G...., D.... and D.... . Did wonders for the mental health. Sorry to those whose name I forgot. Isn't it interesting how one split-second decision, seemingly unimportant and insignificant, can lead to so much unexpected joy. I guess the same can be said for the opposite. I guess you simply call that life. Either way, this is exactly why I must see the places I go to, why I mustn't stay in hotels and go straight home. The choice between this and sitting alone in Zoutleeuw is easily made.
That being said, today will not be productive. I bought tickets to the Mauritshuis, to go see some paintings. Apparently seeing a girl with pearl earrings makes the pricy entry worth it. I can't see myself going. Especially because the F1 is around the same time. Nothing better than a F1 session when tired and groggy. I'll probably watch that and in the unlikely event I have some energy left in the evening, I might head back to the beach one last time before leaving for Rotterdam tomorrow. I have a feeling, despite what I said earlier, I'll be back in the future. I really like this place and I think I could use more time to figure out everything you can do here.
After a lengthy nap and some F1, I decide to get dressed and leave in search of food. I first head back to the old faithful bar of the last two days. The bartender told me they do scampi's in garlic sauce. Sadly, the kitchen today was closed. I drink a quick Maes and go. Not in the mood to look for too long, I go back to the pastrami sandwich place. This time I order a burger. Can never go wrong with those. I go sit in the park again like I did then, reminiscing on the past few days.
I finish my The Hague entries with a poem I saw painted on a building:
IK DRINK OP DE MENSEN
Ik drink op de mensen
Die bergen verzetten
Die door blijven gaan met hun kop in de wind
Ik drink op de mensen
Die met vallen en opstaan
Blijven geloven
Met het geloof van een kind.
Ik drink op de mensen
Die dingen beginnen
Waar niemand van weet wat de afloop zal zijn
Ik drink op de mensen
Van wagen en winnen
Die niet willen weten van water in wijn.
Ik drink op het béste
Van vandaag en van morgen
Ik drink op het mooíste waar ik van hou
Ik drink op het maximum
Wat er nog in zit
In vandaag en in morgen
In mij en in jou!!
Paul van Vliet