Yellow Bricks and Red Clay
In an unexpected but exciting turn of events, I joined a local tennis club and have been playing nearly every day. The experience has been strikingly different from what I’m used to in the U.S. Here, members take turns running the club bar and volunteer to maintain the clay courts. The sense of community is strong and refreshingly informal—there’s a club-wide WhatsApp group where players post their availability and skill level to find hitting partners. Becoming part of this small, tight-knit sports community has been a highlight of my time so far and a fun way to spend my evenings.
At IDEA, my co-intern Hershey and I were recently assigned a research project by Sumit to support his upcoming mission to Bangladesh. As a result, we’ve been reading books on the country’s constitution, political history, and legal framework. I’m really enjoying the deep dive into a specific case study, which continues to fuel my interest in comparative law.
This week also brought a visit from my friend and fellow William & Mary international intern, Heidi. Since biking everywhere is one of my favorite things about life in the Netherlands, I convinced her to rent a bike for the weekend. What I didn’t anticipate was a major heatwave, and that our ambitious 25-mile round trip to Leiden would feel like a feat of endurance. Undeterred, we slathered on sunscreen, grabbed our hats, and pedaled through the dunes and heat. After an hour or so of cycling, we reached Leiden and rewarded ourselves with lunch on a boat (boat lunch?). Later, we met up with Hershey (who did the smart thing and took a train to Leiden) for some thrifting and lounging in a park by the water.
The following day, we took the train to the charming city of Utrecht. With its medieval center, Gothic architecture, and canals lined with Venetian-style cellars, Utrecht feels both historic and vibrant. We visited Dom Tower, which is the tallest church tower in the Netherlands, and St. Martin’s Cathedral. Still recovering from the bike ride from the previous day, we ended up spending a long while sitting in the pews, gazing up at the endless ceilings and intricate stonework.
My favorite stop in Utrecht was the Bibliotheek Neude, a former post office turned public library. Tucked unassumingly into the city center, the building’s modest brown-brick exterior gives way to a stunning interior covered in glazed yellow brickwork, Egyptian-inspired motifs, and bold Art Deco details. Originally constructed between 1919 and 1924, it was reopened in 2020 after extensive renovations. The transformation has clearly been a success as the space was buzzing with students studying in quiet corners, families browsing the shelves, and readers enjoying the studious atmosphere. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to linger, and a perfect example of how historic spaces can be successfully reimagined for modern public life.
The Dutch summer continues!