I left the flat about 22:30 this night… the streets and canals natural wind tunnels, causing my hoody to blow off a couple of times, though in a respite it was still relatively warm for the end of December – clear skies too. It’s quieter at night on the streets around where my sister lives… but walk about 15 minutes and you’re in Dam Square.

It’s teaming with people – tourists and locals alike, out for the night. Sparkling lights, neon signs advertising drinks and seeds and smoke. As you walk past bars, doors open and laughing people fall dancing out onto the street with the music blaring after them – and then the door closes and the music is cut off sharply. There are so many bars and people though, one never ceases to hear laughter and sound spilling out from everywhere, without pause.

The lights twinkle off the canals, and you walk over the bridges, stand there, hearing the waves swish as a longboat slowly glides below and past you, turning to look down each of the four streets, heading off in four wonky directions, street, window and house lights marching off down from where you stand, swivelling slowly – no roads are straight, the flats both leaning on and supporting one another on either side.

I find the quaintness of this city, the clever and inventive ways the Dutch pull it all together, really refreshing, yet at the same time steeped in history. You can’t help but keep swivelling your head looking at, well, everything.

But in amongst the hubbub of it all, I did manage to find some quiet moments to pause and wander #nofilter #noedit

…and if you’re wondering who the bloke is, he was a guy from Montenegro called Nic, who I met randomly on a bridge. No, no, far tooooo young!!

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