After a long solo sojourn, I've learned to appreciate the value of visiting someone you know. Of course, I’ve made acquaintances along the way, but these are new relationships based on new experiences, so it’d hard to say how many, if any, will stand the test of time and space. It was a real comfort to spend three days as a guest in Marieke’s home in Maastricht, where I could sleep in a place without fear of housekeepers barging in, or battles with bedbugs.
Situated on the Maas (Meuse) River in the southernmost province of Limburg, Maastricht is wedged in a pocket of the Netherlands closer to Belgium, Germany and France than it is to Amsterdam. This has given it a unique identity throughout the ages, and the place is so pan-Continental that it was chosen in 1992 as the location for the summit and subsequent treaty that led to the formation of the European Union, and a currency, that while currently troubled, is still worth more than my own, making things pretty pricey for yours truly.
Marieke and her jovial housemate Marion were welcoming from the start, and cooked up a traditional Dutch meal on the first night of my residency, consisting of a tasty potato, cheese and greens dish, as well as a mouthwatering meatball. Obliged to show my gratitude, I offered to cook dinner the following night. It was then I was notified that I might need to prepare enough food for six people.
A few days before I made it to Maastricht, while volunteering at a local music festival, Marieke and Marion met a touring band from Stillwater, Oklahoma called The Other Lives. On the roster of ATO Records and with an impressive resume that includes opening for Radiohead, it was clear that both of them were somewhat star-struck by the attention they’d received after their initial introduction. Now, the group was looking forward to a couple of days off, and wanted to spend them in laid-back Limburg, which had since become their favorite stop in Europe.
All I was concerned about was becoming a third (or seventh) wheel. But, Marieke and Marion were both magnanimous hosts, despite their busy work schedules, and Marieke even went out of her way to borrow her Mom’s car and take me on a day trip to Belgium. If there is a Heaven (and I hope there is) and they have beer (and I hope they do) then it will most certainly be Belgian. The quality and quantity of malted manna made there is astounding. Besides a stop at Val Dieu (Valley of God) a genuine Trappist monastery where bliss has been brewed for centuries, we also went to a shop in nearby Aubel with a selection that left me speechless. On my trip, I’ve kept a compendium of quaffs…and out of the dozens I’ve tasted, more than half have now come from Belgium alone.
But, all beer runs must come to an end, and there were four rock stars to cook for upon our return. With Marieke and Marion manning the side dishes, recipes "borrowed" from my girlfriend, and a half-apricot half-egg custard pie that was pure perfection, we whipped up a delicious dinner. While I’ve ascribed adjectives above alluding to the idea of prima donnas, The Other Lives are in fact a group of down-to-earth, super-friendly folks, who began as playing together a decade ago. I really enjoyed hanging out with them, especially Josh, Jonathan, and Colby, and we had a really fun time.
It is odd how on a trip like this, much of the mundane can make for memories as sublime as the sights. This will be the hallmark of my Maastricht memoir…not moseying through museums, but making my way to the market…not engrossed in edifices, but absorbing amity. By my final day in what is a miniscule municipality, I hadn’t even crossed the Meuse into the historic district, but it didn’t matter to me. Unsatisfied with the idea that I could leave without laying eyes on the touristy part of town, Marion made for an excellent tour guide as she led Marieke, Jonathan from the band, and me on a nighttime stroll. In hindsight, I’m happy I got to see more of the place before I left. But as I’ve alluded to above, my favorite memories of Maastricht will be magnificent moments of celebrated camaraderie…and the Belgian beer, of course.
