The one with the cucumber on the boat
Azure Route in Rotterdam, 09/06 - 11/06
Hoi from Rotterdam!
This time, we travelled in style.
Our journey from Budapest, through Vienna, to Utrecht was spent aboard the fabulous Nightjet train. Somewhere along the way, we also became lounge people. We know, it’s terrible. Taking full advantage of our 1st class passes, complimentary tea, nuts, comfy chairs and a bit of quiet. The balkan part of the route had left its mark on us and we stuck to every bit of comfort we could get our hands on.
When we arrived at our stop, Rotterdam, we were greeted by three locals, Jimmy, Berk, and Oliver, as well as the rain.
After settling into our accommodation, the three of us and Oliver headed out on a small city tour of Rotterdam. We learned about the city’s enormous port and just how massive it really is, the fire and the extent of it and the educationalist Erasmus. We also stopped by the lovely Maritime museum visitors’ centre, where we unexpectedly rediscovered our love for colouring books and spot-the-difference puzzles.
Unfortunately, our long train rides, where this newfound hobby would have come in handy, were mostly behind us. Even though our journey was only halfway finished time-wise, geographically we had already reached the final stretch: the Netherlands (plus a small accent in the end in the form of Aachen).
Afterwards, we enjoyed some excellent ramen (Tensai Ramen, highly recommended) before heading to our first workshop in Rotterdam: Slow Travel, Slow Living. Apart from us and Oliver, who had kindly shown us around the city, there was only one other participant for that session. This gave us the chance to have a more intimate workshop. The small group created space for genuine discussion and reflection. It was a stark contrast to the high school audience in Budapest, our only previous experience with that workshop. Mesut also surprised us by showing a photo from when he had attended a Europe on Track workshop in İzmir during the 3rd edition of the project. A reminder of the history of Europe on Track and the connections it has created across the continent over the years.
Instead of focusing on the main activity (planning an eco-trip) we found ourselves diving into conversations. We discussed the advantages and disadvantages of train and bus travel, comparing factors such as cost, convenience, comfort, and environmental impact while also sharing personal experiences. We also explored further why some flight tickets can be surprisingly cheap and the factors that influence transportation pricing.
The day wasn’t over yet.
That night, we were invited to a social night aboard a boat with AEGEE-Delft. There, we had the joy of reuniting with our trainer Julian and catching up about the journey, the workshops, and everything that had happened since we last met.
Our new friend Berk, president of AEGEE-Delft, gave a speech and invited us to introduce the project in true AEGEE-Delft fashion, standing on a table, of course. Peer pressure got to us, but at least we got some cute photos of the team and we even opened a little question line, where we got to share our experience with night trains.
But perhaps the most memorable event of the evening involved a cucumber.
For a significant part of the journey, we’d been making some rather questionable and admittedly lazy food choices (ones our mothers wouldn’t approve of). This led to a recurring conversation about how much our bodies were craving vegetables, or really anything fresh. Specifically a cucumber, and how amazing it’d be just to bite into a crisp one.. So when Finn, an AEGEE-Delft member, casually handed us an entire cucumber, we were completely shocked, taken aback, and absolutely delighted. Looking back, the combination of an eventful day, accumulated sleep deprivation, and lingering train tiredness may have amplified the humour of the moment. Nevertheless, the cucumber instantly became one of the highlights of Rotterdam. Thank you, Finn for that moment and for the cucumber which did not disappoint.
While the rest of us were socialising, Phaedon spent much of the evening in the boat kitchen interviewing local members. Many mentioned feeling reassured by the Netherlands’ long-standing efforts in water management and flood prevention. When talking about climate change, they were often more concerned about its impacts on people elsewhere in the world than on themselves, expressing empathy for communities already facing its consequences.
The next morning, we had arranged to meet Julian again for a closer look at Delft in daylight. Admittedly, this happened a little later than planned thanks to a wonderfully long sleep. But before heading there, Berk showed us a different side of Rotterdam. We explored some of the city’s greener neighbourhoods and visited an impressive art storage building that looked like a giant mirror-bowl with trees or top of it.
Then it was time for Delft.
We have to say that Delft left quite an impression on us. The canals, the greenery, the tiny cafés, the colorful restaurant nooks and adorable details, the entire city just felt so lovable, charming and cosy. It’s one of those places that instantly makes you slow down and look around. Having Julian as our guide certainly helped. His enthusiasm for the city was infectious. Thank you for that, Julian!
Eventually, however, it was time to head back to Rotterdam, where another workshop awaited us: Climate Board Games. Unfortunately, no participants showed up, so the workshop was cancelled. Instead, we focused on something equally important: rest and food.
Around the same time, we learned that our travel to the next destination, Groningen, had been moved from that evening to the following day. Combined with the persistent rain, this felt like a sign from the universe to slow down for a moment. So that’s exactly what we did.
We spent the remainder of the day tucked away in our comfortable accommodation, catching up on project work, organising checks, and enjoying the opportunity to rest.
And, of course, doing laundry.
Sometimes sustainable travel is exciting discussions, city tours, and workshops.
Sometimes it’s cucumbers and laundry.
Rotterdam gave us a little bit of both.
Written by: Kadi Värnik
(and the Azure team)