One Road- Ariann Mieka

Haarlem , a city 15-minutes (via train) outside of Amsterdam, was the location of Verse iTal ’s second interview. Following the directions to the studio, we found ourselves walking through a residential area, questioning whether we were in fact going the right way. Arriving at the given address, we didn’t know what to expect, as it was an apartment building but I could hear music coming from one of the floors above making me semi-confident that we were in the correct spot.  DJ Spy, the host of the live streaming show on Asylum radio , greeted us warmly into his apartment, which as it turned out doubled as his studio. He had an impressive broadcasting set up and his neat room was complete with a coffee table of snacks for his guests! (Thanks for the peanut M&M’s!) Now I must mention here that I have never seen someone (efficiently) do so many things at the same time. I mean this guy was doing duties that would normally take a whole team to do… and at lightening fast speed...

Large green open spaces are as important to a city as vacations are to working folk. You just need them to keep your sanity! Being able to leave the noise, pace and grime of the concrete jungle and easily enter a peaceful oasis is an invaluable resource to any city dweller. Amsterdam has over 30 beautiful parks to unwind in. One lovely park was very near to our flat but we heard so much about Vondelpark we made it a priority to visit. The 70-acre Vondelpark has the distinction of being not only the largest one in Amsterdam but also the most popular park in the Netherlands.  Even on cold days, like the ones on which we visited, Vondelpark is alive! Many people were out exercising, dog walking, bike riding and taking leisurely strolls. The parks facilities include restaurants and cafés, several areas for kids to play (including a wooden climbing area….yes we climbed through it lol), lakes to sit near to and relax and a beautifully landscaped garden filled with colourful tulip...