The End of Exchange & Best Kept Music Fest.

Just to give a wee bit of context - I'm sitting in my apartment for the last time, waiting for the housing inspector to come bear witness to the cleanliness of my room and then take away my container keys forever. That's right folks, exchange is over. It's pretty poopy... but nobody likes a sad sack with blogging capabilities so let's inform you (and distract me) by recapping the last two, amazing weeks.

Behold the best setting for a music festival ever! This is the Tilburg forest in the southern Netherlands and the location of the Best Kept Secret music festival. Despite it being the middle of summer it drizzled for all three days but the damp was no dampener to our spirits! I mean music aside, it's impossible to be gloomy in a cat hat. (It's Ruby's...how effing cool is it!)

This was the first year that the festival has run, hence the 'best kept secret' title I suppose? Whatever the story, the organisers got it right, it was phenomenal! Not to name drop, but I ogled at Bloc Party, Alt J, Mackelmore, Cashmere Cat, Arctic Monkeys, Damien Rice, Tyler the Creator, NO, Local Natives, Temples, Two Door Cinema Club and the genius that is SIGUR RÓS. 

Sigur were my favourite hands down. They played on the final night just as the rain cleared and the sun bled down into the lake. The entire crowd stood hypnotised by those twelve virtuosic, blonde, icelandic gods/goddesses. If they played for long enough I reckon they's create world peace.

In between sets we entertained ourselves with serious intellectual activities.

I wish I had more shots of the music to show you, but I didn't think it wise to bring my camera to the mosh (even though the Dutch are insanely polite and non-pushy in concert crowds). If you're keen to see what it was like in there then have a look at this little film. It's only about the final day of music- but it has some snippets of Sigur Rós at the end if you have no idea who they are...or even if you do and just want to be jealous of me.

And then, just like every other fun activity in life, it was over just as fast as it began. After arriving home and doing about five loads of washing I took my newly arrived compatriots (Billy, Michael and Ruby) out and about town.

Boys with beers at Nordelicht = pretty adorable.

Short educational interlude: the entire area to the north of the Ij river in Amsterdam used to be shipping docks and generally pretty rough. Now it's become hobo-chic slash an underground art and music arena. It's been one of my favourite hang out places in Amsterdam...mainly because of the flea markets and cheap snacks to be found there. Also, I feel at home amongst the old containers.

Some of these are actually studio, cafes, clubs or, apparently, tree houses. Makes my container seem pretty dull.

Waaaaaaa. My container. Look how depressingly bare yet impressively clean he is.

Anyway, I promised no morbidity - back to the recap. 

As is tradition when fresh meat come to Amsterdam, I made Ruby (and Billy for a second time) try a Dutch herring. I love how seriously they're taking it. 

And then just to be fair (and also because I like taking photos of people with food in their mouths), I also fed the Dutchlings Vegemite. I can't believe I hadn't thought of it earlier.

This is Joost in the process of being abused. Just incase you're wondering, his facial expression here reads: "Francesca, take your condiments and get the hell out of my country".

In other news, two days ago my Uncle Thomas also came to Amsterdam to pay me a visit... on his bad-ass motorbike! We drove to the nearby city Haarlem and check out the Frans Hals gallery. I arrived white knuckled and knock kneed from having clung to his back like a petrified baby koala. I so cool.

 

Yes I KNOW the stand is up. What, you think I can actually ride 'Africa Twin'? 

Speaking of Africa, on the 9th I fly off to Barcelona to begin my road trip with Pip, Ren and Daniel to Morocco. Not sure of the state of internet connection over there and I don't think it wise to bring my laptop, so the next blog probably won't be until September when I settle down in Berlin. We'll see.

I've had the most incredible time here in the old XXX (that's Amsterdam for y'all wondering). I've met some brilliant people, snatched some brilliant bargains, and pedalled more than I ever thought my calf muscles could endure. Here's hoping the next 5 months are as amazing as the last five have been. 

Talk to you when I talk to you. 

In the meantime, stay golden and I'll try to stay alive. x