Apartment
City: Amsterdam
Soon after arriving in Amsterdam, I found myself driving with Martin to look at one of two apartments that were available for us ex-patriots to live in. This was hardly a surprise since I certainly wouldn’t be staying in the Amsterdam Hilton for a year, even if I were staying in the John and Yoko suite. In fact, I was quite anxious to get out of the hotel and into my apartment after just a few days. I guess I just wanted to adapt to my new home as quickly as possible and a long stay in a hotel would do nothing to help. Luckily, I had arrived in Amsterdam before Antony, my soon to be Irish friend, so I had the first choice of apartments. As Martin and I drove along, I really didn’t know what to expect. The size of homes and apartments in Amsterdam and in Holland in general is much smaller that in the U.S. because there is simply more size in the United States, much more. Actually, the Netherlands is the third most densely populated country in the world. To be honest, it didn’t really matter to me because I was just excited to get into my own place. Since these were “corporate” apartments, I figured they would be nice, functional and efficient. Style and location aren’t necessarily the most important things when it comes to corporate apartments. Usually the key criteria for the company are that it is close to the office and economical. At least this is what I was used to seeing in the U.S., which wasn’t all that exciting. However, as Martin negotiated the small streets of the Jordaan to the apartment we were going to look at, it dawned on me just how beautiful this area was. Canals, cafes and picturesque, crooked Dutch buildings you see in photographs and films. Buildings cramped together, narrow streets and moving hooks hanging from the top of each building which are used to move large pieces of furniture through windows since they would never fit through a doorway. This area is beautiful. I knew this as I had spent time in the Jordaan during two previous trips to Amsterdam but I don’t know if it ever occurred to me in the past just how beautiful this area is. As he drove along, I asked Martin, “Is the apartment on a canal?” He responded, “Yes, you’re going to love it. Trendy place for you Sarcletti. However, parking is not good.” At this moment, the only thing going through my mind was how lucky I was to be able to live in this beautiful area of Amsterdam for the next year. At this point, I was going through the process of convincing myself that I would settle for a dump of an apartment as long as it was in this neighborhood and on a canal. Since it’s now close to 2 years later, I was obviously impressed with the apartment in addition to its location. What a unique place it is. Bloemgracht 61D is a bachelor pad deluxe that a gigolo could really use to his advantage. If only I was a gigolo and could find some Dutch women to show it to. Upon entering the apartment, it sprawls out into an area that is much larger than anyone would assume when you explain to him or her that the apartment is a studio apartment. The windows are exceptionally large, terrific and provide a scintillating view that is to die for. The canal I live on, Bloemgracht, is in full view. Intersecting Amsterdam’s most famous canal, Prinsengracht (as mentioned numerous times in John Grisham’s A Widow for One Year), I am told that Bloemgracht is one of the most picturesque canals in Amsterdam. Staring at the canal from my window and taking in the atmosphere which includes houseboats in addition to other wooden vessels silently cruising on a spring day is relaxing and refreshing. Reading a book on a bench outside my apartment overlooking the canal is tranquil and allows you to release your mind and lose yourself amongst the beauty of the Jordaan. On far too many occasions, I’ve simply lost myself walking for seemingly endless hours up and down the many straats and grachts (or streets and canals) that make up the Jordaan. I would spend time peering into shops, relaxing in cafes and just taking in the atmosphere. That is the true charm of this area. Going into real boutique shops that don’t have items you can find at any popular store. Finding small eateries with real home cooked food. Going into small rustic restaurants that really look like they are out of a movie. This is Europe at its best, the Europe people imagine, the Europe described in books and movies. These are things I will never forget and that I will also have a tough time leaving behind. During my time in this area and in this apartment, I have loved entertaining guests. For one thing, this apartment is definitely not lacking in style. If you looked at it, you would assume an artist or writer lived here. With a partition separating the bedroom cleverly and providing a bit of privacy, the rest of the apartment is open and stands out. The frosted glass that encloses the bathroom is just one other aspect of this unique apartment. The glass left a few things for every girl who showered in my place to ponder, as they had to contemplate whether I had figured out a way to see through the frosted glass and peer in on them as they showered. That usually meant that they did their showering when I was at work or out for a stroll. The shower itself is actually very unique. The showerhead spouts out into a slightly receding area with nothing surrounding you. To stand in the nude with nothing around you under the water provides a somewhat unique sense of freedom when bathing. This complete freedom I felt for 10-15 minutes everyday was wonderful. Just the water and me. If my body didn’t block the water, it just meant that I would have more water to squeegee into the drain when I was finished. The openness in the apartment is another aspect I really enjoyed. Not only could I watch TV and listen to music while I prepared dinner on my small island kitchen but I had enough room to dance wildly to China Girl or jump in the air as When the Music’s over comes to its energetic climax. I can stare at the beauty that stands before me in the canals below while smelling fresh tulips sitting on the windowsill. I can lay on the couch and gaze at the trees and dim lights in the homes on the opposite side of the canal. This is what it means to feel relaxation. This is what it means to feel freedom. This is what it means to understand beauty. Showing my friends and family my unique apartment and the stylish quietude of the neighborhood was as much a pleasure for me as it was for my guests.
I could actually say I was really proud of where I lived. I don’t say this in an egotistical way. I say it because of the beauty that surrounded me. I enjoyed so many wonderful evenings in Bloemgracht 61D. My efforts of clearing my half size refrigerator out of all its constituents in preparation for a party so that I could fit somewhere around 60 beers into it will not be soon forgotten. Neither will I forget my futile attempts at trying to fry Dutch beer snacks in a fryer that was left in the apartment by the previous tenant. Not knowing what the hell I was doing (but knowing I needed to fry up some bitterballs to really make this a party), on more than one occasion I failed to close the top of the fryer and was therefore left with the fry smell that permeates so many fast food restaurants in my apartment for many days following the get-together. That was not good but I was probably too drunk at the parties to notice until the next day when I needed to open up all the windows to air out the place. The location of my apartment provided me with the flexibility to dine at a host of varied restaurants with cuisines ranging from Spanish to Thai to Indonesian. Surrounded by so many wonderful restaurants and bars, I spent too many nights out dining and drinking in local establishments. Not that I am complaining. Fun times were abound and I took advantage of every opportunity I had to enjoy this wonderful neighborhood within this magnificent city. My many guests enjoyed this also. Whether they were sprawled out on my floor dispersed throughout my apartment or in my bed next to me, we enjoyed the apartment, the scenery and the neighborhood. Living in the Jordaan for nearly two years did make me a bit of a celebrity to be honest. I lived in a great area that all of my Dutch friends, especially the ones from Amsterdam, loved to spend time in. My place was always a good meeting point because in most cases we were going out in that area anyway. In addition, my friends loved the uniqueness of my apartment. It’s almost as if I lived in an apartment that everyone loved to visit and talk about how cool it was but he or she didn’t actually want to live there. The bedroom was a bit too open or the bathroom was too modern but it suited me just fine. Nonetheless, when it came to throwing a party or meeting up for some drinks, it always seemed that people suggested my place as the venue. Maybe it has something to do with me. I would hope that it did at least a little bit. However, I also believe that my unique apartment in the Jordaan with it’s beautiful canal view and the intrinsic charm of the area itself and it’s local establishments was a key contributing factor to a wonderful period of time for me, my friends and my guests. 3/31/06 by Chris Sarcletti Delete
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