The beauties of Maastricht

Went to Maastricht this weekend to enjoy some really nice reefer. At least that was our original reason for going, and it worked out well for us, but I have to say I fell in love with the city a bit. It was cute. There's an overwhelming cuteness to the nicer cities in the Benelux. Fairytale-ish medieval buildings and streets that are narrow without being oppressive; gives the impression that maybe life wasn't as bad as you know in your heart it was before the invention of penicillin and labour unions.

Being here, especially being stoned here, lets you understand where Bruegel and Bosch and all those sick motherfuckers were coming from with their fantastical monstrosities. It sounds a bit twee but I've never seen anything like the sky around here. They have the most incredible sunsets and sunrises, and cloudbanks are so imposing it's almost as good as flying above them in an aeroplane. Hallucinogenic. Like a Bosch, like a Bruegel. It's a strange place.

And Melbine, you may feel free to take this as a compliment: Dutch people are fucking gorgeous. I suppose it hadn't fully sank in as previously I'd only spent time in Amsterdam, which I can't imagine has too many Dutch people in the parts where I was. Anyways, in Maastricht there were lots of staggeringly beautiful people who were just like strapping, healthy corn-fed gods and goddesses.

And they seemed to keep looking really good at different ages, although the much older ones looked like they'd been living 'prosperously' for too long. The entire group of people there, and the city itself (though I understand Maastricht is a bijoux city, quite special) gave me a strong impression of prosperity and good income distribution, like Antwerp and Luxembourg. It's slightly creepy in a way, but probably only because I'm jealous. I think there's a really positive social contract here. Too bad the weather is shit and the Dutch language makes all these beautiful people look like they're spitting at each other. For shame.