"This isn't hardcore techno. This is only electronica/house."

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Last night's pub crawl was actually a really good time. I met some interesting people from Australia, Georgia (the country, not the state), Sweden, Finland, Germany, & of course some Dutch people. There were approximately 160 exchange students doing the crawl so we were broken up into groups of about 10-12, & we each went to different places so we didn't overwhelm the bartenders with all of us. haha. We had a ticket book with tickets for 7 bars that were good for a free beer or soda. It turned out to be pretty fun. The pubs were all different - some were traditional low-key bars, some were techno clubs. I think in the 4 hours that I was out, I heard every type of music known to man. The one bar would play Green Day, followed by some local Maastricht music, followed by techno remixes of popular rap songs, followed by Jon Bon Jovi, followed by Michael Jackson (the King of Pop is totally alive in Europe - I'm pretty sure EVERY pub played at least one of his songs!). Totally random, but definitely entertaining. A couple of people that aren't exchange students met up with us as well. I was telling the one person, named Cyriel (he said some Canadian students call him Kellogg's since his name sounds like the breakfast food, cereal!), that I never heard so much techno music in my life. He then went on to explain that there's a difference between "hardcore" techno & simply "techno remixes." I guess Maastricht only plays what's considered techno remix, electronica, & house music, but Aachen, Germany (right across the border) is notorious for its hardcore techno clubs. I can ONLY imagine what that would be like... Needless to say, I stood around awkwardly because I had no idea how to dance to techno music. Good times. The best part was that the techno was accompanied by fog machines, strobe lights, & laser machines. Totally European. Loved it. Too bad that I was considered one of the "old" people there because most of the exchanges are here for undergraduate work...

Today was pretty productive, shockingly! I managed to get up around 10, went to buy my books for class, & picked up my bicycle. Text books here are SO CHEAP! For this block period, I have 2 classes, & I spent a total of 100 euros on my course materials. That's incredible. In the US, that won't even buy 1 book! My bike is ridiculous, but I like it. It's forest green, & it may or may not have survived World War II because it is SO OLD. The rims on the wheels are all rusty from it being out in the rain so often, but I think it's great. It has a bell, headlight, & taillight so at least I won't be hit by any cars/buses/trucks/other bikes! It doesn't even have hand brakes or gears, that's how old it is. haha. Oh well. It's charming. (& it was only 50 euro, a portion of which I'll get back when I return it at the end of the semester). Plus, the way I look at it is that it's so incredibly old that nobody would even think about stealing it, so I can probably save some money by not buying a bike lock. In any case, I'm sure it will suit me well. Since I live in the center of everything, I can't imagine that I'll really need it all that much, but I wanted one just to truly experience the #1 Dutch means of transportation.

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Photos

Me & My Dutch Friends
Me, Cereal, Cenay, & Fay

Pub Crawl
Fay, kid from Georgia whose name I can't spell, Cenay, Adnan, Mike, & me.

My Bike!
It may be old, but don't let it fool you. It's full of spunk.

Comments

[Alice B.]

Vlad & Bike
The whole time I was reading about the techno music...all I could think of was Vlad. When you don't know how to dance to said music...just channel the Vladislav. Haha. Also, I love your bike. Please get a picture mounted on it, dressed in new Dutch clothes...you truly will look like a local Ms. blonde hair and blue eyes! haha