Travel We bring you a fresh perspective of the most popular Manchester-student travel destination, Amsterdam. Photographs include trios of mad-looking goats and the ocasional boiled fish sandwich
| Melody Sim Text Marcus Jairus Photos | Many people tend to have the impression that Amsterdam is a wild and lawless city due to its nightlife. If you would only step out of the Red Light District, you would realise that Amsterdam is mostly, and most of the time, calm and orderly. When the sun is out, you will witness men and women cycling down the road in an orderly fashion; and bikes parked beside each other in such uniformity. Beyond that, the artistic heritage of canals running through the neatly arranged houses brings an indescribable sense of satisfaction and tranquility. |
| It was (supposed to be) Spring. The flowers were supposed to (almost) be in full bloom and the weather was expected to be perfect – not too chilly, and not scorching hot. But the forecast betrayed us. The weather during our 5 days in Amsterdam was nasty. The sky was gloomy, the birds were in hiding, the wind was unrelenting and the atmosphere was dull. Yet, it would have been a pity if we did not snap any pictures. We braved the weather in our inadequate attire to capture the picturesque scenery – breath-taking even through the storm. |
| Amsterdam reminds me of the vulture. Just like how Amsterdam is known for its vices, the vulture is known to be a filthy scavenger. However, there is so much more potential in both Amsterdam and the vulture. When the vulture takes flight, not only can it can fly higher than almost any other types of birds, it is also a beautiful sight. Similarly, Amsterdam's potential is far-reaching, making it more beautiful than many of the European cities. Don't let the myopic view of Amsterdam and its nightlife cloud your vision from its full potential. |
| Personally, the thing I remembered most about the trip was our accommodation. Lucky Lake Hostel. Situated outside the city centre, it brought us to a whole new level of tranquility. We lived in their makeshift cabins, had breakfast in the "breakfast bus" and showered in the common toilet. The primitive accommodation brought back waves of nostalgia of my days in the field – except that it was a lot more comfortable and pleasant. |
| We experienced everything Dutch: Dutch windmills, Dutch clog slippers, Dutch markets and Dutch food. Even though the flowers weren't in full bloom, they were already capable of taking of breaths away. I couldn't imagine what it would be like when they were fully seasoned. |
| My boyfriend and I met 10 years ago in a church in Singapore, where we come from. We study together here at the University of Manchester and we are both obsessed with travelling. A best friend of ours saved up a sum of money to visit us, from Singapore, during our Spring break and another, who studies not too far away (London School of Economics), agreed to explore Amsterdam with us. They are my boyfriend's best friends but as the saying goes, "what's yours is mine!" |
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| After visiting Amsterdam, and even Rotterdam, I came to realise that there's so much to Netherlands - not just its mere night life that everyone is harping about. Recalling the short trip, I seem to have the sudden realisation that unlike the typical European state, Netherlands seems to be pretty distinct in its own special way. TMM |
| Melody Sim writes about travel for The Manchester Magazine. She is a second year Politics and International Relations student at the University of Manchester. She is a passionate 21-year-old, zealous about sharing her humble experiences through her command of language. She also writes and blogs at melodysim.com | Marcus Jairus is a second year Psychology student at the University of Manchester. He is a professional photographer and an avid believer of capturing life in images. He photographs for Jairus Reflections. More of his work can be seen at jairusreflections.com |