—Hendrik Willem Van Loon, An Indiscreet
Itinerary, 1933                                   
                                   
“But this is absurd! We are sailing right over
The roofs of the houses!” But it is not absurd.

You need not feel you have separated yourself
From the rest of the world and will never see
Your loved ones again. People live constantly
Beneath the sombre skies of these water-soaked regions.
You will find the people to be cordial and well-
Disposed towards strangers (except on Thursday).

Near Amsterdam, watch the water of the canals.
The light is found only hovering over
This mud, floating on an ocean of water.
Quiet is the watchword of those canals.

Such experiences as these are worth
All the trouble of leaving home
And mother and the old familiar scenes.

“Ah, what is he talking about, anyway?”
You had better consult your little guide book.

Make friends with the porter. I would advise
You to spend one day walking around.
When you have had your fried sole, walk back
To town and once more sit ye down.

And now cometh the question. Whither
Are we bound? Rotterdam. The Hague

You will be sure that your chauffeur is going
To pitch you into a canal. Don’t be scared,
They never do, but it is just one
Of their little jokes, like that cracking of the neck,
So dear to the hearts of otherwise harmless osteopaths.

Just now what we need so terribly badly
Is a new point of view. At least, I hope so.