Day 12 - WIND
I went to sleep and woke up later to the most ferocious winds I've ever encountered, but more on that later. It was nice to bike to class, Globalization and the Market, with a strong wind at my back, and I settled in next to James again. The class itself is really small, maybe 17 students, and overwhelmingly Dutch in composition. The professor seems pretty knowledgeable and like a cool guy, and the subject matter is more anthropological than economic, which is good for me I think. We have an assignment in which we have to interview a person receiving this specific form of Dutch governmental assistance that is a bit intimidating, but I think it'll be alright. The reading load appears to be closer to what I'm used to, not that I'm ecstatic about that or anything. While in class, out of the window, James and I witnessed a girl get knocked off her bike by the wind (60 km/h yesterday, with gusts up to 90 km/h), which was simultaneously horrifying and amusing. She appeared to be alright, so I'm no monster.
After class I rode into town and went to the record store, Plato, I checked out earlier and got a ticket for the Cut Copy show in Amsterdam in March. Zonoscope has been one of my favorite albums of the year, so I'm really looking forward to the show. I think Adam is going to come with, and I might be able to talk Cory into coming across the North Sea for the show. After Plato I headed to the V&D (think JCPenny) to get another pair of pants, as it became apparent with the rain and everything that trying to survive with one pair of everyday jeans wasn't going to cut it. I was relieved to find sizes in a format I could understand, and even more relieved to find that pants are available in large volumes not only in 32/34 and 34/34, but also in the unheard of 33/34 - ah the benefits of shopping in a land where my tall, skinny frame is the average. Everything was on sale, so I got a cheap pair of purplish/wine/burgundy colored pants and a pair of slim fitting jeans whose tapered legs I simply couldn't pass up (since I've worried about my soon-to-be massive legs fitting into them). One of the other perks of shopping here is that all the bigger stores appear to have cafes in them (V&D had two!), and I got a pretty cheap/pretty good ham sandwich after my grueling pants shopping search.
Afterward I went over to the Common Room for a "Pimp My Bike" event that was cancelled by the gale force winds, but ended up getting talked into signing up for Disco Bowling later that night instead. Afterwards I headed home, on the way back battling the winds once again. The Rijnfront appears to be situated in a wind tunnel, and you have a straight 2 km shot riding directly into the gusts to get home. It was all kinds of awful.
I haphazardly made spaghetti for myself and then braved the wind to head back out. I flew down to the Common Room in record time thanks to wind assistance, and met up with Chase and Michelle amongst others. I really do despise bowling - there is a wholly unsatisfying relationship between effort and results - but I was trying to keep an open mind about the whole thing. We set out in a big pack riding our bikes there, and ended up taking what I must assume was a ridiculous route thanks to Google Maps, and finally perhaps 30 minutes later arrived at what had to be the classiest bowling alley I've ever encountered. It looked more like a posh club than a bowling alley, so that departure from the Downriver agglomerations of bowling pins and human depression was appreciated. I ended up bowling a high of 128, which was mildly satisfying, and won a bet in the process, though in such dominant fashion that it took some of the thrill out of it.
The highlight of bowling was this video coming on the TV screens. See if you can spot why. VIDEO LINK
The ride back was the stuff legends are made of. We were led on once again a terrible route, and this time against the wind. Several in our party were knocked off their bikes by the wind, and it took a level of exertion I haven't mustered in quite some time to make it back into the somewhat better protected city center. My quads were on fire, and the all told 20 km we biked in the wind were less than excellent - though I survived, and that's the important part I guess. I stopped in at another pub, Roebel's, on the way home but it was, surprise, super crowded, and I headed home early.
Day 13 - Rest
Today was basically squandered away resting. I had planned on going to Amsterdam with Adam, Steve, and Chase, but we scrapped the plans as the wind was pounding when we woke up and was apparently worse in Amsterdam - in all honesty, I was just too tired to get out of bed. The good thing about having class only two days a week is being able to go to places like Amsterdam, Den Haag, Rotterdam, or Utrecht basically whenever I want, so it's no huge loss - I just feel like I need to get on this traveling thing sooner rather than later! Plenty of time, though.
So I stayed in all day, watched Arsenal's historic 4-4 draw with Newcastle (Arsenal was up 4-0 at HT and became the first EPL team to ever blow a 4-0 lead), and then Man U's choke job against Wolves that netted a one point gain in the standings for Arsenal, crazily enough. I spent a good part of the day talking to friends back home, as has become the custom, including a really great chat with Emma and I received a terrific email from Mallika that I'll need to respond to after this. I'm not sick to my stomach missing my friends at this point, but I still miss them all very dearly. Again, it's these lazy days when I miss them most.
Fortunately tomorrow will be anything but lazy. I need to grocery shopping in the morning, and then I have basketball practice for this goofy team I'm playing on in this goofy weekend party/basketball tournament, followed by a viewing of Space Balls (our team name - the tournament is space themed). Steve's birthday is tomorrow, so I think I'm getting dinner with him and his crew as well. All of this leads into the most blatant and obnoxious display us Americans have had a chance to put on, as Bad Habits' Super Bowl party is tomorrow night/Monday morning and should be a really fun time. I'm looking forward to it, even if I hate both teams. At least either Woodley or Woodson gets a ring.
I really want to hear from all of you. Shoot me an email with an update on your life.
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