Thursday, March 16, 2017

3 Beautiful Years In Amsterdam and Europe

Hey all, It's been a while that I wrote a blog since my previous one., Feels good to scribble again while welcoming the Spring in Amsterdam !!!

Writing has always helped me in recalling and refreshing my memories because it gives me goosebumps whenever I go back and cherish the old days.

Living in Netherlands, adapting to the cultural transformation took some time for me. But I have to admit that I really like the dutch way of looking at life , being open minded and practical at the problems and solving them.

 Now I can see a lot of calmness and patience slowly adapting into my nature. I don't say that I didn't have patience before but I was giving little importance to it. Patience is one the most important elements of our life,because in this busy world living with the latest technologies and gadgets, we often say more than we hear, we get to know more rumors than facts. Our quality as a human being is much valued when you are a both a listener and a communicator. Because when you observe and listen you learn more things, and when you speak or tell you only tell the things which is already known to you. So there should be a balance in being a speaker and as a listener.

The Dutch have earned themselves a reputation for being incurably outspoken. Communication is almost always straightforward and context-driven. This naked style of conversation has its positive sides in that you can ask a Dutch person anything, and sure enough you’ll get the answer.

One more quality of the Dutch to be mentioned which I am trying to adapt is Time Management. The Dutch are always on time. Be it a professional or personal meet.
The Dutch refer to these things as 'appointments' for which they keep strict agendas… and lot of them. Most Dutch agendas are booked up weeks in advance, cross-referenced and committed to memory as back-up. This might strike spontaneous people as odd, but it keeps Dutch society ticking. Oh, and Dutch people are never late for an appointment - so they'll expect you to take the same care with your own timekeeping.

I really love the Greeting culture in the Netherlands. When you walk into a shop, it's customary to greet the shop person with a simple 'hello' or 'good day' (goedendag). Same goes when you walk into a waiting room full of people, , when you get into an elevator, and then to wish 'have a nice day' (fijne dag nog) or' goodbye' (dag), when you or another exits the elevator. When you enter inside a bus or a tram or when you exit they often greet the bus/tram driver/crew.

The Dutch are modest people. Another trait owing its roots to Calvin, the Dutch typically downplay wealth, and frown upon those who flaunt their success.

Every culture has its own good and not so good way of living. But it is important that how we adapt and learn from the good things as we see and experience around us, But what I follow is "There are no good or bad things in the World, It's all in our perception how we Define Good and Bad"

When you work on a regular job,work life balance plays an important role. For some of us weekends are really important to take a break from the regular days and to gear up for the next fresh week. Working on the weekdays and waiting for every weekends are the good part of it, Weekends in Holland are so relaxing, you always have so many things to do. My favorite things are taking a walk on the canal streets biting the dutch snacks, riding the bike over the beautiful bike paths blended across the canals. Looking at the birds while the boats sails complementing the mesmerizing colorful houses on both sides of the canal waters with some wonderful bridge always treasure for the eyes..

Bikes (fietsen) are an inescapable part of Dutch culture..Cycling in Holland has been amazing experience so far! The cycle paths on the streets, near the canals, across the parks, in the middle of the tree lines, it's so beautiful. One cannot express it, if you are a fan of cycling, I am sure there are many places in Holland to bike and explore the city.

It's not only about Amsterdam, Netherlands itself has so many things to offer with it's cities which are so different from one another in its own terms. You definitely have to see them all, if you are non dutch and living in the Netherlands you can't ignore it but to visit them. For the love of Netherlands, I tried to add most of the touristic and non-touristic places on my website. I hope this does help you to plan your trips if you are planning to visit someday.
http://www.vishalkashyap.com/things-to-do-in-netherlands.html

Coming back to the subject of this post, I just cannot believe it's already been 3 years living in the dutch land. I do miss my family. I do miss the Indian food. I do miss my friends and fun at Motherland, but I was never been in a situation where I felt like going back to my town. When ever I feel little low , catching up with friends, cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, watching movies, sitting in a bar with the people you like with a beer, taking a good trip back to the center of the Amsterdam capturing the moments with my DSLR looking at people greeting and smiling with happy faces and warm gesture made to me feel like the second home, I really mean it, It is one of those feelings I strongly have to admit it, Amsterdam I do feel like my second home after Mysuru. I did live in other cities in India such as Coimbatore, Chennai, Bengaluru, But I never connected to those place so strong as I do now. It is a special connect to the city,culture, people and the vibes.

These 3 years have been one of the best times in my life, I got to travel so many countries in Europe and UK. I visited many beautiful and mesmerizing cities. Such an architectural old tows, amazing history, refreshing beaches, delicious food, artistic nature and lavishing night life.

Every city I visit in Europe, I learn something from it, Many people tell me that all the cities and countries in Europe are more or less the same, but I don't agree with that, Every place you visit, there is something special about the city and something unique you could experience when you realize how to appreciate even the smallest things in life.

One of the best travels so far was the solo trip to the Scandinavian countries. Just to treat myself on my 27th birthday also to get a break with the regular routine, I decided to plan a solo backpacking travel to Copenhagen in Denmark, Stockholm in Sweden and Oslo in Norway. I always wanted to do a trip all by myself, You get to visit the places you want, to eat the food of your choice , to spend more time in the place you feel like and capture the moments,you are not dependent on any, you could start your day when you want and you could end the day when you feel like, total independence. During this travel I met lot of people during the journey and while exploring the places as well. Also during the stay at airbnb house, Everybody was so warm and welcoming,helpful,fun to be with and the best part is some of them are even friends and they visited me in Amsterdam. All I want to say is You do make good friends during your Travel.

The places I have visited so far in the span of 3 years are listed below with some pictures. Each city has it own unique way of attracting people to its historic, cultural, beautiful, fascinating warmth of its own kind, So you get to learn,live and give for every place you visit, If at all you plan to visit any of the places listed please feel free to get in touch with me, I try to help you in planning and giving some info or tips about the things to do. Being traveler I have always learnt that we are eager, open minded, social, ready for surprises, adapting, and giving.

Paris, France


Brussels, Belgium


Luxembourg


Mt. Titles, Switzerland


Barcelona, Spain


Berlin, Gemany


Rome, Italy


Prague, Czech Republic


Lisbon, Portugal


Budapest, Hungary


Monaco


London, England


Edinburgh, Scotland


Vienna, Austria


Copenhagen, Denmark


Stockholm, Sweden


Oslo, Norway


Bratislava, Slovakia



Plitvice National Park, Croatia


Malta

Krakow, Poland

Lake Bohinj, Slovenia

Amsterdam, Netherlands



















































Apart from the cities which are listed I have also traveled to other places in Europe. I have mentioned all of them below.

1. Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca in Spain
2. Paris, Nice in France
3. Rome, Venice , Florence, Pisa,Naples in Italy
4. Vatican City
5. Lisbon in Portugal
6. Berlin, Cologne, Frankfurt, Munich, Winterberg, Black Forest, Aachan in Germany            
7. Vienna, Salzburg, Innsbruck,Hallstatt in Austria
8. Budapest in Hungary
9. Zagreb, Plitvice National Park, Zadar in Croatia
10. Brussels, Ghent, Brugge in Belgium
11. Prague in Czech Republic
12. Bratislava in Slovakia
13. Oslo in Norway
14. Stockholm in Sweden
15. Copenhagen in Denmark
16 Luxembourg is a city and country it self
17. Zurich, Lucerne, Mt titles in Switzerland
18. London and Brighton in England
19 Edinburgh and Glasgow in Scotland
20 Monaco is a city and county itself
21. Comino Island, Gozo in Malta
22. Warsaw and Krakow in Poland
23. Ljubljana and Lake Bled, Lake Bohinjin in Slovenia
24. Vaduz in Liechtenstein




I think this sums up my interests and the things I did during my tenure. It has been an interesting, adventurous and a refreshing journey.

After all, My eager for travelling is never ending and satisfying, You do more and you want more. I am looking forward for this summer in discovering the Baltic countries.

I hope to see you in my next blog I will add more travel stories and the things I learn from those.

Keep following, add and share your comments.

With Regards,
Vishal Kashyap
vishal2589@gmail.com
Follow my pictures on Instagram: vishalkashyap25
website: www.vishalkashyap.com