Brussels and Brugge and Amsterdam, Oh My!

To condense a five-day holiday in three different cities into one blog post is a bit ambitious but clearly I am game for the challenge. A huge reason for living across the Atlantic is to have access to visit places like this relatively inexpensively and with ease. So funding and pursuing this was exhilarating. And it helped that I ate a bagel nearly every day.

Another thing that I found myself doing every day was riding on a train – from the airport to Brussels city center to Amsterdam to Brussels to Brugge and back to the airport. Each night I slept in a different bed and room from the night before. This form of traveling between places provided a different kind of trip than what I have experienced previously. When traveling I typically stay at least 2 or 3 or 4 nights in a place at a time to truly soak up the environment. Though this encouraged me to savor the present moment as I was constantly on the move and my time was incredibly limited in each place. It also made my trip feel longer while simultaneously also feel like it went by really fast.

Miraculously it was a gloriously sunny day in Brussels, so the entire taint of the places I saw was full of a warm blue-purple tint, which inherently is a contradiction, and is not necessarily a place with contradictions, but that’s the essence I felt. The food found here was generally fries with white sauce, waffles, chocolate, blonde beers – the best beers (according to Belgians) in the world. As I wondered I saw ornate buildings, parks, palaces and murals.

While in Brussels the political science major in me was also giddy to witness the building which houses one of the most fascinating politically collaborative bodies in the world. Sitting in the EU Parliament chamber a rush of excitement swept over me. With 28 member states, 766 representatives 24 languages spoken and 552 potential language combinations, impeccable coordination between these individuals representing a wide array of interests is necessary.

Seeing the space in which this compromise takes place gave me perspective on the American experiment and the difference in barriers between accomplishing necessary and relevant policy. In the US system, there are about 200 fewer individuals and 23 fewer languages spoken which compete with the collective action problems associated with governing institutions. Granted comparing the two entities is nearly impossible, with very different historical contexts, cultures, and populations, but it is still an interesting and relevant lens to use to understand contemporary politics.

Amsterdam is a place that I have been to before. Last year marked my first flight over the Atlantic to Europe when I found a round trip ticket for $460 and had accommodation with my dear friend Natasa. This place is significant to me as it marks a regain of independence. It was my first international flight solo, and it came at a time in which I was craving the opportunity to assert myself as an autonomous individual. Hence, when I stepped out of Centraal, and once again saw the inviting Amsterdam skyline, a sense of comfort and wonder wafted over me. Though I would have just over 24 hours in this place, I was ecstatic to be back.

Natasa and I sparked a friendship within minutes of meeting each other at Freshman orientation in Portland about 4.5 years ago. Since then we have spent many hours in bookshops, record stores, walking, drinking coffee, critiquing art in 3 different countries. Our friendship stands independent of any other groups and though much of our relationship has been long distance, we have remained there for each other through moving to different places, health complications, and various interpersonal struggles. I cherish her and our friendship and I was grateful for the uninterrupted 48 hours we spent together on this trip.

Then there is the magical Brugge. The unique buildings which line the streets are adorned with roofs that function like waves, adjusting up and down, some smoothly but most with little steps. Canals line the streets, and as you wander, the impermanence of the water follows you at various points throughout the city. Constantly replacing itself subtly to which you hardly even notice. The streets are all cobblestone and have a charm about them that entices any visitor, and I can imagine those that call Brugge home. Windmills surround the city and there is a church that apparently is home of Jesus’s blood (which I saw). Though this place is quite touristy, as during certain times of the year the tourists even outnumber the locals, there is a reason for it as it has a classic Belgian charm that is infectious to experience.

Just as before while traveling, I became aware of the relative size of the world and my place in it. Flying, taking the train and wandering frequently bombarded me with sensations of smallness; I am so small in such a large world. Then there are the sensations that accompany walking around a totally foreign city without a companion. There is a sense of isolation and mystery that surrounds exploring without a community that is at least somewhat aware of one’s whereabouts. It’s hard to entirely encapsulate this feeling unless you have solo-traveled before. That as you are walking around, there is no one near that would have any idea who you are. It is both liberating and terrifying. Perhaps though, it is through this fear and liberation that I am pushed to continue pondering.