GUEST BLOGGERS Maria Stratienko and Emily Edwards
Emily Edwards in Amsterdam
Today, on this incredibly momentous day-before-4th of July and two-days-after-Canada Day (as pointed out by our token Canadian), we Tipsters in Den Haaaag were involved in a great number of adventures. The day was started when our fearless leader Dave suggested a humble nature walk on the Netherlands, additionally hosted by Andrew (we miss you!!!!) on the trails of Schevenenenenauughhhh (we stopped trying to pronounce). After a few good hours of walking in the bike path and happening across scrubby trees and underbrush reminiscent to some of Arizona or California and another marathon group picture session at the apex of our hike, the group moved down to the beach for some good old-fashioned revelry in the North Sea... only not really. Only three of the kids (Maria, Jeff and Celina, of course, being the hardcore kids they are) were able to withstand the intense cold and went wading with Dave. (Prof Frakt notes - no swimming occurred) No lives were lost, Duke University, so don't worry. The other kids, instead of going down to the water, instead sunbathed and stole Jeff's clothes off the beach. Awkward.
The option was then presented by Dave that maybe we should go down the beach to make our way back to the hostel, or back on the seemingly long concrete trail by which we had come. Being the intelligent (or, as Dave would say later in the day, "gifted") kids we are, we chose instead to move down the soft sand of the beach. Little did we know that this would be quite possibly one of the worst decisions we could make in our lives.
Imagine, if you will, a deserted, windy beach, the soft sand moving across the dunes. Then intensify the situation by about 20 and add about nine (by Kelsey's count) naked men making their way opposite to you. Our two hour walk back on the beach to the hostel ended up nearly impossible, with easily 30 MPH headwinds opposing us, those aforementioned naked men, and the incredibly soft and impossible to trek-on sand becoming traps for our feet with every step. Our legs would look amazing the next day, but on this day, all we felt was tired.
When we arrived back to non-nude civilization, though, another issue plagued the walkers (aka all those who didn't take the tram back to the hostel with Dave -- notably Andrew's fearless crew of Jack, Celina, Jeff, Maria and Christian) -- they had approximately 30 minutes to change for the next task of the day, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. The next epic event involved a trip to Pizza Hut Andrew swore would take "I mean... only 10 minutes to make a pizza? We'll get two!". Little did we know then that the pizza would arrive with five minutes to walk back to the hostel (a good third of a mile away) and change from our wet-from-the-ocean clothes into something nice for the OPCW. The epic eating of two large pizzas while walking took four minutes, a believed TIP and possibly world record. Rock on, guys.
The OPCW was a wonderful event for the day, even if there was some difficulty in getting ready. Students learned about the tasks of the organization, the provisions of the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (which the organization is founded upon) and the importance of anonymity for certain state parties. After our departure from the noble organization, the group split up in two -- those who needed a few more Euros (taking into account this continent is pretty expensive) and those who allotted earlier. Hours of "chill out and sleep" time were granted and enjoyed.
That night, the group embarked upon an epic adventure into downtown Den Haag. Bowling was decided upon by the group -- only to be found out upon arrival that COSMIC BOWLING was in effect. Dance parties and great bowling thus occurred, to everyone's enjoyment. Much love all around was felt.
The night didn't stop there, though -- groups then split up along the Scheveningen coast to enjoy what the boardwalk had to offer (for some of us, trampolines, though painful, were incredibly fun... for others, sleeping in the hostel seemed more enjoyable) and set ourselves for bed soon after. Without a rowdy crowd of hostel-ers having a party at our doors, thankfully, sleep came easily, and another great day the the Netherlands was guaranteed for the next day.
Before we sign off, though, major props have to be given to our fabulous leader, who left our group early the next morning for some time in Amsterdam, to return to Canada with his lovely fiance. Andrew Ekblad, fearless and great as he is, we will miss you lots. Much love.
On the nature walk/forced march through the Dunes north of Schevinengen.