The first time I set eyes on Amsterdam was in February of 2012. At the time I was indulging in a travel-binge after a particularly challenging two years of “career progression” that cost me several close friendships, a degree of sanity and, for a long time, my sense of self worth and identity. I didn’t realise how vulnerable I was during that period, or quite how susceptible I would be to the charms of Dutch architecture, design and lifestyle.

Having spent the previous 3 weeks travelling in Morocco I came to The Netherlands not really seeking a holiday; I came to get reacquainted with a part of myself. My entire itinerary was planned around 3 gigs by the Australian musician Gotye. Amsterdam just happened to be my entry point into the country and the location of 1 concert. I spent a total of 2 nights out of 6 in the city and, somewhat unwittingly, fell deeply in love with it – what a cliché!

The day I arrived many of the canals were frozen over; the sky was dull and grey, light was low and the air was dead still. There were tourists where I expected there to be tourists but there were also plenty of quiet corners in coffee shops in which to find comfort away from the eerie cold and winter crowds. It made an impression on me for sure. I wrote postcards to friends while I was on the train:  “I think I could quite enjoy living in the Netherlands for a little while.” It was the first place outside of Scotland that I ever felt drawn to in a spiritual sense. Though I felt a connection with the city it was almost 6 years before I had the chance to return and, once again, I was only passing through.