One Road- Ariann Mieka

Now that I am finished blogging about my visit to Amsterdam, its time to choose a lucky person for the Giveaway! I have written down all the names of the people who have commented (those who I can figure out), put them in a hat (well more like a microwave food cover lol) and chosen one at random! The winner is: Caribbean Passion !! A little keepsake I purchased in Amsterdam plus a small print of one of my favorite Amsterdam scenes is coming your way! Keep commenting on the next countries’ articles for more chances to win!  The more you comment the better your chances! Thanks to all the people who have been reading and commenting on my blog! It’s been so much fun sharing my images with you guys! Love, Peace & Joy! 

We had such a wonderful time in Amsterdam. To everyone who made our stay so delightful, a great big hug and many thank you’s! Special shout out to “P” for accommodating us in your wonderful flat! Staying there was so convenient and gave us an insight as to what it would be like to live in your lovely city. I also want to big up Verse iTal for all the great performances that kept the people jamming at every show! Keep going strong on your musical journey! I chose a few pics that I took around Amsterdam to wrap up the trip to this great city! Enjoy!  So many beautiful neighborhoods to explore The city boasts many wonderful statues Lots of people gather to take photos by the 'I amsterdam' sign. The large sign sits in front of the Rijksmuseum.   I amsterdam is a motto for the city.  We got in the action too, climbing all over the letters! Verse at Museumplein, a square which houses three of the most important museums in the ...

Verse iTal’s third radio interview in the Netherlands was on Get Mixed Radio . When we arrived at the studio, host and Dj Ras Sjamaan had already started the 3-hour show that airs every Thursday (8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.) and specializes in reggae and dancehall music. The station’s studio was amazing. Get Mixed Radio not only broadcasts the audio feed but tapes video as well. The set was therefore professionally lit with a multi camera setup. A large screen projected the video as the camera angles changed throughout the show. During the interview Verse sang four songs live: Blue print , Spring Water , Nyquil and his unreleased new tune “Never Hurt”.  A big thanks goes out to Ras Mikeyy for organizing this interview! We really appreciate it! Here are a few pictures of Verse in the studio. Verse iTal in the Get Mixed Radio Station Verse iTal in the Get Mixed Radio Station Verse singing live on air Giving a great performance to the listeners...

The people of Amsterdam love their bicycles! Bike lanes crisscross the city and huge bike garages offer good options for parking. There are also several bike rental companies from which to choose. Bikes are parked on almost every street and just like the canals they help to make up the unique landscape of the city. Everyday we marveled at the different types of bikes the locals rode and even more so at the variety of people from all walks of life who opt to ride rather than drive or use public transport. I mean, there were ladies dressed in their work clothes, happily riding along with a baby in a seat at the front of the bike and a toddler in the seat at the back. It came as no surprise when we stumbled upon a bike expo while walking around the city one day. De Fietsfabriek , one of the top bicycle factories that create handmade bikes, had some of their cool and interesting designs on display.  Do you guys like to ride? What would your unique bike design be? Here are a few of t...

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...