As the summer festival season is heating up in Amsterdam, thousands flock into the city in a feverish frenzy, spoiled for choice at any given weekend. Party lovers take over the city, its canals and parks with drunkenness and noise, leaving behind a trail of exhaustion, rubbish and unsavoury smells. A new record was recorded this year as there were as many guests as residents in the city on a given day. As they move on to their next stimulus it is up to the city’s council workers to clean up. It takes its toll on the liveability of the place I work. In response, a campaign has been launched, “Enjoy & Respect”. According to the iAmsterdam website the campaign “brings home the message…that offensive behaviour will not be tolerated in Amsterdam. [The target groups] frequently visit Amsterdam at weekends to party, drink, go on pub crawls and hold bachelor parties. All too often, the result is drunkenness, noise in the street, litter, and public urination…The Enjoy & Respect campaign aims to inform, and raise awareness of what is allowed and – more importantly – what is not allowed in Amsterdam.” Let’s hope it works!

 In the meantime, some pure bliss could be had this summer up ‘Norvegen’ – the  way up north. A high pressure weather system established itself in the Northern Seas. It would not move for weeks, bringing sunshine and warmth to the lengthening days of Southern Norway. The place I love welcomed its visitors with sunshine, calm seas and its natural beauty as a backdrop to long days on the beach, at the fjords or in the mountains. Work happened to take me there at the same time, what a happy coincidence. Yes, festivals happen too, but there is enough space that can be put in between at most times. And so that is what I did. I took a leave of absence between assignments. Feeling a million miles away from loud and mannerless partygoers. Once back in Amsterdam the search for hidden, quiet gems shall continue.

Photo credit: Photo was taken on a blissful summer day in the fjords around Stavanger