12,14,19

12 April 2013

It was an overcast and breezy morning in August 2010, when my English flatmate and i set out to bike from the barracks to the city center of Leiden. “Isn’t the weather fantastic”, i exulted, truly enjoying the cool breeze and the absence of the sun. “Sure”, was the Englishman’s sarcastic reaction, which after looking at my truly happy face turned into a look of bewilderment. “You are being sarcastic, I hope!”

Having spent most my life under the scorching Indian sun, i maintian an appreciation for overcast weather. However, i am no exception to Marshall’s law of diminishing marginal utility. It has been a long and bitterly cold winter this year; we are in mid-April and the canals were covered in a sheet of ice until last week! There were a few dry and sunny days last week, but the temperatures continued to remain around freezing nonetheless. The trees are as barren as they have been since late November last year. Now, two consecutive grey and rainy days have cast a shadow on my otherwise incorrigible optimism about the weather. Being patient may be virtuous, but right now i feel like a patient.

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14 April 2013                         

The weekend has been spectacular! Not only was it clear skied and sunny, it was actually warm enough to go cycling in shorts and kayaking without warm clothing. I even needed to take off my windcheater which made it too warm for comfort. At long last, Spring has arrived!

The bike paths through the sand dunes from Haarlem to Leiden offer some of the most picturesque views. A common complaint one hears about the Netherlands is the lack of natural beauty - `everything´ they say is artificial. There is an element of truth in this, but one must visit the sand dunes to realise that it is not the complete truth. They offer hundreds of kilometers of natural beauty.  Sunsets are spectacular as one rides along the coast on the smooth asphalt laid through the undulating landscape. This Saturday was even more special when i came across a number of interesting animals on the way. A herd of deer, the alpha male of which had an impressive set of antlers with a number of horns! Rabbits, foxes, and the funny, furry wild dutch cows.

A weekend of sun, speed and wildlife! What more could one have asked for?

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19 April 2013

I never liked Amsterdam very much, but it was a dislike arising from my prejudice against big cities and crowds in general. But spring has arrived and JJ and i have started cycling to and fro work, along the Amstel river, through a part of the city i did not know of before. The colourful old Dutch buildings, the bistros alongside the river, the river itself and the modest yet lovely old bridges across it make an exquisite picture. With no rowdy tourists (who prefer the shopping streets and the red light district) around, the quaint city of Amsterdam charms you, and i think i am beginning to fall in love with it.

“What happened? Why did you stop?”

“Would you like to have a glass of white wine at that bistro there?”

“Right now? I am kind of tired.”

“So am I, but it’s a gorgeous evening and it would be a shame to lose it and hole ourselves in a burrow!”

“Okay, but just one glass and then we’re off.”

“Deal!”

We talked and laughed under the setting sun, and before we knew, sitting on the terrace by the river we had sipped away four glasses of Chardonnay each! And as we kissed a boat sailed by with a trumpeter playing a most sonorous melody. We looked into each other’s eyes, smiled, and kissed again.

Inderdaad, it had been a very long and harsh winter – the short days, incessant rain and persistent cold had seeped into one’s bones. It had been almost four years since i had seriously dated – something i deliberately stayed away from. The prospect of falling in love and then out of it was too frightening. Until i met JJ. I now realise how lonely i had grown over these years; one would smile and laugh and do sports, but something was missing. But i am glad to have been through the long winter!