Summer Travels: Amsterdam

After Spain, and a few weeks back in St Andrews, we finished up the European leg of our summer with a week in Amsterdam. The primary focus of the trip was to attend the Deleuze Studies conference, but we arrived a few days early so we could see some of the city as well. Following the advice of Hannah (who probably gave me more sites to check out then I could accomplish in a year, but thanks!) and our couchsurfing host Marcus, we had a great time checking out the different districts, going to some museums, and walking along the canals. Seriously, the abundance of bikes and canals never got old for me.


The big deal while we were there was the final of the World Cup. We watched it with our friend Will, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves, even if "our" team ended up losing and we had to navigate back to our hotel amidst throngs of depressed Dutch. As fringe fans, we had mixed reactions (I think Will looks more upset):


On the Tuesday after the finals, the football team came into town for a ceremony and then a parade through the canals. There might have been more orange gear and excitement than for the final, and the trams were shut down for the day in most areas. I waited almost an hour near a canal, banking on being a lone female that could slip through the crowd, and managed to snap this shot as the team passed:


After the police escort and the two boats carrying the team and their entourage passed by, hundreds of boats loaded with partying fans came through the canals for hours. As the crowds thinned out, I snagged a seat along the canals and watched the madness for a while, before heading off to meet Matt and the Deleuzians after they finished for the day.

Speaking of Deleuzians, the conference part of the trip was a success as well. Matt gave a great paper on Avatar, and while I wasn't registered (due to work commitments) so I didn't get to attend very much, it seemed like an interesting and lively bunch based on the post-conference dinner and drinks excursions. We also saw some "Deleuze inspired" art and rubbed shoulders with a few academic celebrities at a gallery reception.

It took a day or two (since we arrived in the midst of a crazy heat wave, but we both really loved Amsterdam and would like to go back at some point, other than to visit the airport...see you in a month, Schippol!