Mathieu de Bakker

As I was walking in front of the Central Railway Station with a visit in mind to the Rijks Museum,I was searching for some


one to ask for directions.As I was crossing the cycle stand on the right of the station,I was beginning to wonder about the


tens of thousands of cycles parked there and only one teenaged lad standing mounted on a bicycle about to leave but not


leaving.While approaching him I could not fail to notice that he was the most beautiful young lad I had so far seen in life.He


was stunningly beautiful with golden hair and red lips and a chiselled face.I asked him the way to the Rijks Museum,which


he took some time to understand telling that there are so many museums in Amsterdam.After he became clear about my


intended visit to Rijks Museum,he explained the ways to reach the museum.


After showing the way,he asked from where I am,for which I answered I am from India,from the city of


Madras in South India.When he was trying to understand the geography of India,I told him that India is a vey big


country,with Delhi in the north,Calcutta in the east,Bombay in the west and Madras in the south all separated by about 2500


km from each other,in a rhombic pattern.He replied that Holland is a very small country,the other day he was travelling


across the country and it took him only two hours to cross from one border to the other.I asked him why there are so many


thousands of cycles parked there for which he told in Amsterdam nobody travels by car because it will pollute the city and


tourists will find it unhealthy to visit the city which was getting millions of visitors and the tourist inflow is the mainstay of


Holland's economy.He also told that there are no car manufacturers in Holland,only tractor manufacturers.It is the decision


of the people of Holland to preserve their environmental beauty and health by avoiding polluting vehicles.It is the best


example committment of the people to the environment,society,the Nation and Humanity.
After that I aske about some personal details about him,he told he was a first year student in a college and he has purchased


a flat where he was staying with his girlfriend.I asked whether he was married to live together with the girl for which he


replied she is just his girlfriend which to my Indian mind felt strange about which he felt strange.When he asked about me I


told him that I came to France for training in telecom technology which was arranged by my employer and when he


wondered about the expenditure I told it would be around ten thousand dollars which seemed to impress him.By this time


we became very friendly to each other and he told, if I felt like,I might make a visit to his home and wrote his full address on


the back of a McDonald receipt.I still preserve it as a memento.His name is Mathieu de Bakker and his address also can be


seen in the sanning of the slip,in his own handwriting.(Blog post does not take images,so I write it) Mathieu de Bakker,Jan Tooroopstraat 118,1061 AC Amsterdam,The Netherlands
This memorable happy meeting happened on 5th October 1996