What is Gezellig?

Gezellig is a Dutch word that refers to the feeling of "chilling out, relaxing, and unhurriedly enjoying yourself." Perhaps it also speaks to the idea of "being in the moment" That is the overall vibe to Amsterdam, so I am told.

As a chance to get some R&R and a dose of European culture, I chose to explore Amsterdam. For some time I have had an interest in visiting. Seeing some of the city in an old James Bond movie, and more recently in Ocean's Twelve, only added fuel to the fire. Amsterdam is a cosmopolitan city and a major hub of travel, somewhat less expensive to visit than London or Paris. Hundreds of years ago, it was built on top of a watery marshland near where the Amstel River empties into the North Sea. Buildings were built on top of dozens of tree trunks sunk into the mud, and the water was drained, a dam was erected, canals built....


An aerial view of Amsterdam. Looks like a spider web.

For me Amsterdam has some other plusses. The Netherlands is generally a peaceful country, and most everyone speaks fluent English as their second language. There really isnt any Anti-American sentiment there, and everyone is friendly.

Secondly, it is home to Boom Chicago, an Improv theater company that was originated by a number of Northwestern students about 10 years ago. It is now a very well established and well known company, and many hundreds of people audition for roles each year. Naturally, it seems to have a strong connection with Chicago in another way too: quite a few of their performers crossed the pond from Improv Olympic and Second City. http://www.boomchicago.nl/

More on this later...