Liberal Country

In the past few days from the airport I still didn't have a power to take my bike in order to get from one city to another especially if it is raining. Actually the day when I left at the airport, I took a train from there to get into the central Amsterdam. Then I stayed two nights in the city center and moved to Utrecht by train as well. The day was raining and I felt that "Maybe I can go by bike in the rain but I don't have to do that. When I feel like tired, I have to take a rest."
From Amsterdam to Utrecht, it takes only 30 minutes by train and was easy to find the train to get there. The main reason to visit Utrecht was neither visiting beautiful old town nor university. I got a family who I want to meet.

Actually, I met them in Finland this summer! When I was in Turku archioerago they were also traveling by bicycle from Helsinki. We met at a ferry and talking all the time while we were there and then we finally decided that we were going toghthere by bicycle for couple of days. I really enjoyed talking with them from some stupid topic to social problems. And then they offered me to stay in Utrecht when I come to the city. Four months later we met again in Utrecht.

I really feel from them that people, the way of thinking are very liberal. They are talktative and very honest and easy going. This is the feeling what I feel not only from them but also another people from Holland. And I strongly feel like these liberal thinking coming from their society. For example, gay people they can openly to say "I am gay!" and the society accepted as far as I heard. And in Amsterdam there is a district called "Red Light district" where there are a lot of girls trying to ask for a man who want to have sex or something just in front of the window with their under pants. It is looks like the same when we saw some dogs or cats selling over the window. I will say that this kind of show must forbidden in Japan and definetely we need a gurde in front of the show window. But the thing people who want to see those girls they can do from the street. And if you don't want to do that you won't go there. In Netherlands, people have a lot of option different from our society which I feel like the country is liberal. I figure out through this journey strongly what is liberal which I didn't feel in Japan.

If I were them, I am not sure that can offer a place to stay in Japan. The thing that we in Japanese people they are not used to having a guest at their place. But I feel from here that it is very nice thing to do that even though we have to be care about the people who I am trying to offer the place.

Yuji @ Utrecht, Netherlands

PS. I will move to Rotterdam today. Maybe go by bike!!