Second, this week's blog is going to incorporate my still-fresh impressions from a weekend in Amsterdam.. As you can tell by the title, we're going to hit up both the positives and negatives of the city. Let's start with the good stuff:
Lo Bueno: Amsterdam has an amazing feel to it.. Its cool, New England-esque air, oft-cloudy skies, and abundant water set the scene for the profusion of trams, buses, bikers, boats, motorcycles, and pedestrians that crowd the place. Unlike any other large city I've ever visited, Amsterdam has a sweet relaxed busyness to it.. Maybe it's the canals, or maybe it's the people, but there's a tranquility in the air that seems to make even the day-to-day grind agreeable.
The architecture reflects this laid back feel.. Buildings often have a striking pattern (see below) that attract the eye. You would think that these kinds of buildings stand out unnecessarily, but they don't because free-wheeling architectural expression is the norm. Also, Dutch is quite a fun language; I sometimes felt like bouncing when I heard a proper Dutch conversation. I'd be remiss if I forgot the food.. expensive but very good. Stroopwaffels (thin waffles with syrup inside.. delicious, esp. w/ chocolate) were a highlight, with vlaamse frites (Dutch fries) coming in second. As far as culture, I really enjoyed the museum scene, especially the Van Gogh Museum & Rijksmuseum.
A cool building:
At the Rijks, it was cool to see paintings of both Prince William I (famous for liberating the Netherlands from Spanish rule) and Prince William III. Both Williams were Princes of Orange, but - contrary to popular belief - Princeton does not get its orange color or its name from either William. However, Nassau Hall is named after Prince William III's lineage, which was the House of Nassau.. I liked the inscription in a painting of William III's birthday celebration: 'To the health of the Nassau line, in one hand a rapier, in the other hand the glass...' (still represented on campus by the fencing team and eating clubs!) On another painting, I appreciated an inscription that said: "This still life was painted after the crash of 1637, when so many people were ruined by speculating in tulip bulbs." Gotta watch out for those tulip bulbs.
Also, it was super baller to see the tomb of the most famous admiral in Dutch history, Michiel de Ruyter (the Raider..basically he pwned the English and French), great ancestor of a kid in my program, Stan DeRuijter.. Here's them both at the old guy's tomb:
Lo Malo: It didn't really come as a surprise, but nevertheless the worldliness of Amsterdam stood out as a negative.. I'm not even speaking so much about the coffeshops and pot as much as the proliferation of sex shops, condomeries, "private galleries," and streets lined with prostitutes advertising themselves in lingerie. I mean, yea it's sort of funny at first but then you keep seeing these things over and over and realize that a bunch of people come to Amsterdam just for the things of the flesh. Here's a typical pic:
The bright spot of the weekend that helped me a lot in thinking about the Amsterdam culture was a church service at Crossroads International Church, suggested to me by a friend in my home group here in Barcelona. The music was great, and the lyrics of one song in particular stood out to me: "Nothing this world could offer could compare to you..." Unfortunately, I can't remember the title of the song but the lyrics revisit a theme I've come to appreciate many times in my walk with God.. namely that we - humans - are made BY God and thus made to be truly satisfied only by a relationship with God.. nothing else will fill the hole that's inside each of us. As usual, C.S. Lewis expresses the point beautifully:
"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased..." AND "If I find in myself desires which nothing in this earth can satisfy, the only logical explanation is that I was made for another world."
Also, I really liked the sermon at Crossroads. The pastor talked about Ephesians 5:15-21. I especially liked this bit: "15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit..."
It's such a counter-cultural message to not get drunk with wine...but be filled with the Spirit, but that's why it's so beautiful. The pastor also made a metaphor I heard once in a Driscoll sermon. They both alluded to the Holy Spirit being like a wind that blows constantly and is always able to guide and empower us. However, as we are steering ourselves through life, we don't always have our sails up to catch and be directed by the Spirit to go after the things of God. The pastor talked about how people forget that the Holy Spirit is God and that He can play a huge role in our lives - if we let Him - as the Counselor that Jesus left us.
Anyway, that's what has been on my heart lately. I hope that some of you will be encouraged by Ephesians 5 and remember to be sensitive to the guidance of the Spirit. Hasta pronto
yayyyy Holland!!!! haha miss ya dave!
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