More than a month into my internship, I finally got my SoFi number.. a social security number. I have an identity now in the land of tulips.

Corus Staal B.V( a TATA company :P) have been very generous hosts. I go to work in a merc, have my own office and a very nice department. I could lament about the fact that there are no interns in my department, but then, the other interns I know are amazing. Funnily enough, I bond best with Chinese interns... Hindi Chini Bhai-Bhai rings true i guess..

And I discovered that the French, inspite of all the stories about them are not half as bad. They are charming, chivalrous and somehow, all the french guys I know have long, blonde hair tied in a pony tail.

Maybe the jolly Dutch manners have rubbed on to these people.

Picture this, you're sitting in a train and eating something. Along comes the ticket inspector. Not only does he say please and thank you atleast ten times, he also wishes you "eet smakelijk", the dutch equivalent of bon appetit.

Not impressive enough? Well, you enter a shop.. any shop, and the assistants and the owner smile broadly and enquire about your day and say hellos, byes and see you laters.

The cabbie who drops me home wishes me a nice evening!!

Even if you run into a person ten times a day, he'll still cheerfully wish you hello!

It was more than a little disconcerting at first, but now I've gotten so used to it, I think I'm gonna be in big trouble now if I enter a Mumbai bus and wish the conductor a good morning :P

I know this from personal experience.. I did the hello-hi-good morning routine in neighbouring Belgium and it drew so many stares. I can only imagine the plight of the Dutch outside of Holland.

I've had some amazing "india" conversations too..

Stuff about cows and elephants and maharajas. Will pen down some here later.

I've had long phone calls and longer phone bills in the past month that ever before in my life.

I've shaken hands with students, street musicians, soap stars, DJs and prostitutes.
And the Scissor Sisters.

I've had most of the guys I know tell me that I should swap places with them, so that they could be here.

I've learnt about magic mushrooms and the various variations of hash, marijuana and hemp.
Just kidding, only about a meagre 5% of the Dutch population tries out all this.

And that the legendary stories about Amsterdam are for most part remnants of the Hippie movement and the Flower Power renaissance of the 60s and the 70s.

Most dreadlocked pot-smoking people you see here are not locals. Its mostly backpackers, musicians and wanderers like you and me visit the mecca of coolness with an earnest hope of soaking in the rich tapestry of Amsterdam life..

There is a Red light Dist., yes, but that's not why Amsterdam undoubtedly is my favourite city in all of Europe.