FRAGMENTARY IMAGE

It fleets. Dreamed of Amsterdam again last night. Which I've visited numerous times, but where I never actually lived. The last relative to reside in Amsterdam was Abraham Pietersen Van Deursen who left for to Nieuw Amsterdam in 1630. So it's been a while. After we moved to the Netherlands, we were in Bussum briefly, then Naarded, after which we settled in Valkenswaard. So I do know part of the country quite well.

Bussum is snowed under, Naarden is drenched in sunlight and smells of tar and wild flowers, and V'waard is Autumnal and somewhat rainy, but also has dustmotes in shafts of sun in the front hallway as well as lovely Spring warmth in our courtyard.

And of course the entire country smells of tobacco and coffee.
Although the tobacco may have faded since then.

Especially in schools and hospitals.


The anti-smoking movement was a godsend for some Dutch people, as they could finally give vent to a streak of vicious puritanism that their society had long repressed (that famous tolerance, you know) and act quite as savage and disapproving as the average Berkeleyite, for the best of reasons, constantly between angry snarl and knwow-it-all smirk.
Fully supported by politicians in Brussels.

Pipesmoking is part of their Intangible Cultural Heritage (which probably pisses off all the do-gooders), but dark shag hand-rolled cigarettes should also be right up there. Even their trainstations and public parks were faintly perfumed with that smoke. It's a fragrance that prompts memories. Once could for many years recapture it, but here in the United States it is nearly impossible nowadays to find a pack of zware shag.

Coffee is easy. Americans are in the midst of a coffee jag that just won't quit. Years ago that was different, finding actual coffee, even in Berkeley and San Francisco, was a victory. Most people simply drank thin blackish muck with a burnt flavour like the cavemen used to swill, and tea of course was a complete impossibility.

Now everyone is wired to the tits and crazy as a loon.
So there has been considerable improvement.

Still a long way to go.



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