Stranger in Middenbeemster

Initially Netherlands was not in the itinerary of our three nation European tour. But when came to know it is the Tulip season in Amsterdam, we included Amsterdam too in the list. Once in Amsterdam we felt happy and overwhelmed at our decision to visit this place too. The scenic beauty of Amsterdam can be compared to nothing.

The ICE bullet train from Berlin reached Amsterdam in the evening.

From Berlin to Amsterdam, the train journey was through German villages

 It was sunny though bitter cold prevailed. The railway station provides facility of metro as well bus, tram transportation to various parts of the city. The main entrance of the station was facing the beautiful backwaters of Amsterdam. From the tourist information centre we got the number of the bus we have to catch to the place Zandam, where we had booked our hotel. Unlike Germany people here are more friendly and helping. Above all they speak and understand English. Boards are also displayed in English along with Dutch. While waiting for the bus, we enjoyed the beauty of backwater. Everything is as punctual as in Germany. Our bus No 391 reached on time at the exact point. We got in to it took the ticket from the ticket vending machine beside the driver. The bus ride was really nice. The green patches, grazing cows, water canals and beautiful little houses surrounded by small gardens are picturesque.

Tulip farm

Zandam is an industrial area with so many hotels in the surroundings. The area is neat and clean. We settled ourselves in our room and rested for the night. Next morning we planned for a city tour. At the bus stop we met an interesting father-son duo. Steven and his little son Henry have driven all the way from Manchester to Amsterdam. Both are adventurous and that day they are out for cycling though the villages.

We got in to the prescribed bus and reached the city centre which houses Madam Tussauds’  wax museum and the red light are of the capital. Amsterdam tourism invites the tourists to have a look at the life of their red street which is on one side of the city. Streets were brimming with tourists from all over the world. Tour and travel agency offices are doing brisk business. Everyone is heading for Kaekenhof, the Tulip garden. We chose to have a city tour on that day plus a visit to the cheese factory, wind mills and UNESCO heritage site at Middenbeemster.  In the city, except the wax museum nothing much to cater our interest. So we decided to see the UNESCO heritage site. We got in to a bus which, according to the driver would take us to the UESCO heritage site. It was marked in the city map too. In Europe, bus journey is a pleasure.

Though we confused little bit and changed buses meantime, we finally reached Middenbeemster, the UNESCO site. Contrary to our expectations it does not have any remains of fortress or palaces but it is a beautiful village with lot of streams, gardens and the Victorian style buildings. It is a preserved site for its ancient beauty of sorts, that is what the booklet describes.

tulips ............tulips ..............everywhere

 We walked to and forth and finally reached at an old Anglican church. It is here we met Dr Aads, a young man trained to be a plastic surgeon. He was excited to hear that we are from India. He offered to take us to a tulip field. Initially we were reluctant. In a foreign land, a stranger……But he opened his car door for us. We went with him to see the tulips farms. It was like pink carpet unrolled to the end of horizon. Here, we became more friendly and opened up his mind. He knew India.  He has an Indian friend. He knew its history, the Kashmir issue, Narendra Modi etc…

He further talked of his fear about the refugees who have already made their presence visible in France, Belgium, Germany and even his own country Netherlands. He is angry about the government policies which is not taking any strong decision on the issue. He frankly told` Hindus/, Indians are peace loving people, I have no fear about any religion, Hindu, Christian, Budhists, Sikhs but I don’t want Islam here’’. `No one in Netherland wants them here, we are afraid of them ’’. He talked about the blast at Brussels airport, attack in Paris. He again asked how India deals with such large Muslim population so peacefully.

He was pouring down. As a medical student, he was never bothered about all these, but now he started reading and understanding just to be prepared about the impending danger.

With Dr Aads in Midden Beemster

We pieced together the information he gave in his heavily Dutch accented English. We decoded it as; Netherland has a sort of UPA model government in power, a minority government with a weak leader at helm. So not able to take or implement any strong decision regarding anything. People are angry. There are parties like Left Front we have here, who is always destructive. People are angry and they feel insecure.He also talked about the German based anti-migrant organisation PEGIDA too.

 People in Europe are carefree, least bothered about any issues and happy–go- lucky type. Even after the terror struck Brussels and Paris, security measures are meagre. No police, no metal detectors, and whatever we have been familiar with in our capital are not visible in the capital city of Netherlands.  Frankly speaking, we felt really insecure in Europe. Every unattended bag gages at the railway stations and airports scared us. Even after such deadly attack in the Brussels airport check-in- counter, at the Paris international airport also we have seen people freely roaming around the check-in-counters. What I understood is, these countries may not have enough force to tackle this situation since they never presumed a situation like this will arise.

Dr Aads offered us to take to old wind mill and later he dropped us at our hotel. Saying good bye, he said, may be in another ten years we will come to India as refugees. `You are always welcome as guests, not as refugees. This is your soil, you have to defend it. Leaving your beautiful land and running away is the worst act of cowardice’, no one should do it, I told. He thought for a while and drove away.

The next day is Kaekenhof, the Tulips. This time no independent journey.  We have to take tickets from a travel agency and get in to the assigned bus. In a fully packed double decker bus too, the sights on either side of road are so enchanting. We passed by the Netherland’s Schiphool airport which is constructed four meter under sea level. Flights are landing and taking off all the time.

In the  bus the guide was explaining the Tulip history. Her Spanish lazed English is echoing in the bus. We understood that Tulips are not local to Netherland . Its real home was Himalaya and Aden in Middle East. It was brought to Netherland by a Netherland envoy to the Ottoman Empire. Now Netherland is proud of 800 tulip verities. As Kaekenhof is reaching both sides of the road we can see tulip farms in various colours. Tourists in the bus literally now out of control seeing this and looked  confused which side to look at.

 Kaekenhof farm is sprawling in 32 hectors. It’s beauty is beyond words. Tulips …tulips everywhere.  Thousands of tourists are leisurely roaming around the Tulip garden., taking snaps and selfies.

Tulip garden, Kaekenhof

There are restaurants in the garden. We have started avoiding food survived on fruits and water since the continental food bored our palate. Whenever felt hungry, the urge to fly back home would grip us. Otherwise we would hunt for Indian restaurants.

 But to our surprise we realised that in Europe many Indian restaurants are fake. The restaurants under the banner Indian or Desi are being run by Pakistanis, Bengladeshis and even Afghans. We have seen only two pure Indian restaurants in Europe, The Saravanabhavan and one named Gandhi in Amsterdam. Saravanabhvan has hotels in Frankfurt, Berlin and Paris. We were really confused and surprised at non-Indians and especially, the Pakistanis using the brand name Indian. The Pakistanis, Bengladeshis , Afghans and Srilankans all have come to European countries as refugees. Thankfully we haven’t seen any Indians as refugees but as tourists or business men on travel.

We returned from the Tulip world by evening.  We have to catch early morning high speed train to Paris next day.