Second Reading

I think some of you weren't aware that I used a separate blog to document my time in Maastricht.

Therefore, I've decided to repost some of the highlights here at the Green Stick.

The first installment will be my post from Friday, July 14, 2006 when my company dispatched me to represent them at the launch of "Amsterdam: Topcity. "
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Today I’m blogging from an internet café in Amsterdam. It’s around 1pm. I’m in town for the launch of an initiative called “Amsterdam: Topcity.”

I arrived at Central Station about 9 last night, but didn't get to my hotel till 10:30. What happened? Well, (I think) I took a wrong turn somewhere on KNSM Island. I got to see some parts of Amsterdam that I've never seen before, and that I hope I will never see again. I finally ran into some friendly locals who gave me directions.

I stayed at Lloyds Hotel which double bills itself as both a hotel and a 'cultural embassy.' I am guessing they feel they are entitled to the latter label because of their modern architecture. On the outside their building looks like an old orphanage, but the inside is completely gutted with any distinctive architecture replaced by straight lines and white paint.

There are 4 tiers of rooms available to guests. Tier 1 has a shared bathroom. Sorry, no go. This may be terribly American of me, but I do not share bathrooms in public accommodations. So I went for tier 2, called “the surprise room” because it will be unusual. The website gives as examples that the “surprise” might be that you get a nice view of the river or perhaps an unusual shower. My room was in what they call the “souterrain” - a euphemism for “prison-like cellar.” Perhaps this was where the bad orphans were sent when they misbehaved.

My first impulse was to think that the “surprise” was that I am paying a lot of money (well, my company is paying a lot of money) for a tiny cell with bars in front of one minuscule window that looks out on a parking lot. But I will be charitable and just assume that I got the unusual shower. I wish I had gotten the nice view of the river, though.

So between getting settled in and having some dinner, I wasn't actually in bed with the lights out till midnight. And then, of course, I couldn't sleep. It was almost a release when the alarm sounded at 7. In what felt like one continuous stumbling motion, I pulled on my dark suit, hopped on the metro, and entered the Amsterdam city government building where the event was being held.

The event in question was the launch of “Amsterdam: Topcity” - a new initiative to...I'm not really sure what. The official giving the presentation kept repeating that Amsterdam needs to make more “top 5” lists. He never specified which types of lists, though. I can think of any number of top 5 lists that already feature Amsterdam.

It was one of those launches presented by a really high adrenaline official who does lots of fist pumping and is surrounded by large screens with moving images and PowerPoint presentations. Videos of these types of events often resurface on CNN when the official in question has been indicted on charges of corruption.

Job Cohen, the mayor of Amsterdam, was there too. He gave a nice little speech at the end. It wasn’t more than 5 minutes long. An elected official who can give a short speech...that I respect!

There was food available before and after the event. I, of course, made a beeline for the coffee. I am pleased to inform you that the city of Amsterdam brews some good java. The presentations started, and soon I began to crave a second cup. I was sitting at a table towards the front. So I started glancing around trying to map out a strategy to get to the back unnoticed. Then, all of sudden, at my side there appeared a waiter brandishing a pot of coffee. He smilingly refilled my cup.

At that moment, I didn't need to hear the presentations: Amsterdam was already my “Topcity.” There were a few more presentations and then that was that. I headed back to my hotel, checked out, and I am now at an internet cafe.

This afternoon I plan to visit the Rembrandt house. Ah, la dolce vita.