Your best travel experience

Started by dsanchez, September 07, 2007, 18:52:16

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dsanchez

Mine was in March 1998 in Amersfoort, Holland. I was a young 21 years old guy by then. I was in Germany for a short time and then went to Holland for one day to see Clan of Xymox (one of my favourites bands) for the first time. The venue was a small club, "De Kelder".

What a experience. I remember myself crossing the German/Dutch border by train and noticed how the houses were a little bit different in the dutch site. Then I arrived to Amersfoort, a small town near Utrecht. What a nice city. I arrived there at around 10am and had nothing to do until 22.00 when the concert was starting. I was walking the city, sometimes I met people on the street for a chat. The time goes fast, and soon was already 19.00. I went to take a look to the club. Maybe they let me get in?

There was a guy on the door.

"I have been travelling so long, do you think it's possible to get into the club now?".
-Where are you from?
"Peru"
-Wow, that's so far. Hey, come in. The band is doing the soundcheck right now.

What a experience. Not only I was going to see one of my favourites bands in real, now I even could see them doing the soundcheck. The place was decorated with some vampires.
Later, a beautiful young lady approach to me after the soundcheck. Black hair, beautiful green eyes. White as the snow. She was Mojca, the new COX member, from Slovenia. She plays bass and is girlfriend of COX's frontman Ronny Moorings. She was so kind, and also surprised someone from Peru (where the hell is that?) attend the little show. We were having a small chat for some minutes. Is this a dream?. Then photos with the band. Could I be happier?

The people who works in De Kelder start to arrive. A young, beautiful (like most of the dutch women I met) arrives. She works in the bar. The guy who welcomed on the door ask me

-Are you hungry?.

Then he prepare me a coffe. I remember talking to him about The Cure and Slowdive. I guess you get excited to meet people who love so much the same music as you do.

The time of the concert arrives. The guy ask me kindly if I can get out to pay for the concert and then get back.

"Of course", I said. Concert was just 11 guilders. That was the dutch currency by then. Like 5US$.

The concert starts. So amazing. Not many people, no more than 70 I would say. Funny thing, just me and one girl next to me are excited. The rest of the people seems not to know the band. "Where are they from?", someone asked. Funny, cause Clan of Xymox is from Holland :-).

Amazing show. So powerful music and songs. People liked, even those who didn't know the band buy their latest COX cd by then, "Hidden faces". The concert finish. I can't believe. This was the best. This was awesome.

Party starts. I'm alone. But I am easy to notice. I am among all the dutch people. They're all usually tall and white. Peruvians, in the other side, brown and little. A girl offers me some marihuana. I didn't accept it but we had a nice conversation after all. Then I spoke to one of the Dj's who was taking a rest by then. Henk is his name. We were talking about the show, about the music, about The Cure. "I saw Slowdive live in Paradiso, Amsterdam", he told me. Ouch..I would give everything to see them live again. But Slowdive no longer exist.

The time pass fast. It's almost 3.00am. They play "stupid girl" from Garbage. I'm not a  big fan from Garbage but this song remains me this day.

It's getting late. I get to know almost everyone in the disco. Dj's, waiters. Henk ask me where I'm going to stay. "I will go to the train station after the disco, and wait for the first train back to Germany", I said.

-But I have a friend who lives close to the station (the other Dj), you can sleep in his flat. He said.

I was not sure. Sleep in a guy's house?. Hmmm...I am very mistrust. But this people seems to be nice. Why not?

He introduced me to Carlos, the other Dj. He says is no problem and I can sleep in his flat for some hours until first train lives.

That's so cool and strange at the same time. "This would never happen in Peru" I said in my mind. People in Peru don't trust each other so much.

It's more than 5.00am. Almost everyone quit. The dj's and waiters have their breakfast at the disco. Bananas, vino, milk, cheese, bread. They invited me to the breakfast. How wonderful are the dutchs. People in southamerica use to say "europeans are cold", but look at this?. They're helping me like if I'm part of the family.

I go with Carlos to his house. On the way, he tells me about his wife, she's nurse working in India. His house is and old house, but nice. When we arrive, he starts to show me some music he likes. He plays some "Tocotronic". That's nice. But both are tired

-I will sleep in the second floor. You can sleep here (1st floort), the kitchen is there, you can take anything you want, he said.

He also put an alarm next to me and bring some covers.

8.00am. Time to go. I went to second floor to say good bye. Gave him a typic peruvian cup as souvenir.

What a day. What a wonderful people. What a experience.


2023.11.22 Lima
2023.11.27 Montevideo