Amsterdam to Rotterdam

I’ve said it once and I will say it again, the Netherland’s are made for biking. This 73 kilometer ride was as if I transcended the seasons and went from summer into fall in a matter of hours. I started in the summer. Upwards of 90 degrees and not a cloud in the sky to protect me from the overbearing sun nor to hide the beauty of the land I was riding on. Oceans of emerald green fields are strewn across this nation’s sprawling countryside. Each one harboring crops and cattle, each one producing the food which feeds a country. Intersecting these colossus fields were the Netherland’s rivers. Moss joined the deep blues of the the rivers clothing them with additional reds and greens while yellow and orange boats sailed across. It was as if a rainbow had decided it was sick of the sky and instead wanted to flow through nature in these streams.

The first sign of fall was the wind. Once a gentle breeze this invisible force began to roar, drowning out the delicate chirps of chickens and the serene sound of water hitting rock that used to fill the air. The oceanic fields were replaced with mountainous windmills and swarms of skyscraper esc trees, while the purely azure sky became a grey landmass. Even the river’s colorful qualities dulled due to the lack of light. Water became even more of a necessity because whenever I opened my mouth the wind would dry it out in an instant. And finally, the sun’s stringent rays melted into a gentle drizzle. Before this ride I would have to wait until I reached the comfort of my hostel to feel the relief of water cooling my back and the joy of AC slowing my pulsing heart, nature gave it to me an hour before then.

Each season I rode into had something to share and something to take away. Nothing is absolute, especially not nature. When looking at any aspect of life we must address the contrasting qualities it possesses. The sun, while incredulously hot and blinding, provides light and color into the world. The wind, while loud and abusive, provides a coolness to a world once consumed in heat. Everything in this world is whole and round. Things only become two-dimensional when we limit ourselves to the idea that they should be.