Taboo at an Afternoon Tea

by Dušan Goljić (Serbia)

I didn't expect to find Netherlands

I never imagined that the sight of a naked woman would intimidate me that much. I still don't know if it was because of my herring-infused breath, or the quarter pound of cheese I kept clenching in my hand. After all, I expected an all-inclusive experience in Amsterdam. Let's be clear - the capital of Holland is an architectural wonder, known for its distinctive tastes, dimmed glitters, sexual atrocities, and all the cannabis that your body can handle. Sweet promises of adventure are bound to gizzard-up the emotional expectancies of a first-timer. Being the case, I quickly decided to ditch a one-day business conference to explore the city and indulge my cravings for diversity. There was no need for directions, as I decided to follow the stream of bicycle riders that were meandering towards the city center. Quickly I noticed that in Amsterdam, every building and every person is a universe on its own. Honestly, there are not two of a kind. Here, people use water ferries and bikes to go about, and still, they remain more efficient and productive than three-quarters of the developed world. I saw well-dressed people cycling away to meet their deadlines. It seemed like, in this city, dirty trouser-legs won't get you in trouble at business meetings. While savoring the narrow-streeted sights of rich city life, I passed an albino flute player and a Chinese girl serving fish with a skull tattooed all over her face. Nobody seemed to mind, and yet they were relaxed and polite as it was their time off. Amsterdam is embraced by the sea. Mirrored in the water canals, cramped houses welcome the passengers with colored window decks and breathtaking flower arrangements. Just around the corner, there are churches that have been turned into cafes and street mongers that speak seven foreign languages. I couldn't help but wonder how this city thrives in such a diverse, multicultural landscape. Just as I've successfully passed through a wall of thick marijuana smoke, I found myself on a crossroads. Turning around, I saw a beautiful naked woman in the window right next to me. She winked at me and invited me in. I'm not that posh, but her sense of confidence threw me away. I dropped down my guard and just stood there, effortlessly trying to react. And still, nobody seemed to mind, not the parents casually strolling with their toddlers, nor the dreadlocked Indian cheese-merchant. As I stood still and silent, I felt naked. Now, I expected to see all that. What came unexpectedly was my own tantered experience. I distanced myself to restate my distinguished masculinity with a unique Holland brand of beer. Shortly after, I realized that the overwhelming sensation was not of the city, but my own level of freedom and tranquility. Amsterdam is not encapsulated in its millennia-old history, slowly enduring time. It grows with contemporary people, allowing them to thrive on its streets. It is a monument of expression and diversity, adjustable to both economic and cultural changes. The things that we call taboo, they call the afternoon tea. Every cathedral, sea channel, and coffee shop offers a full testimonial of creative individualism. And nobody seems to mind the diversity, because it is the core of this city and not just the luring exterior. For sure, you can indulge in a few sins, but what this city has to offer is more than just a puff and a shack. It provides deep insight into your true self. Identifying with different aspects that are paraded here releases such intense emotion, it's hard to cope with. In other words, here, you make your own boundaries. There is not a place in the world where you'll feel more unique. Every step on the street leaves you with a sense of unsettling appetite and unquenching thirst. Soothing these requires more than just grit, ambition, and stamina. When multiple choices meet undistinguished inner desires, it's hard to lose track, but it is easy to find yourself. In Amsterdam, you are bound to it.