Saturday, August 27, 2005
Two Den Haags
After two weeks here, I'm reminded again of how the Hague is the most segregated city I've ever lived in.
Seattle is not exactly together racially. Just visit a couple of churches in the Central District on Sunday for proof of this.
But it's nothing like it is here. Not even close.
I can walk around the ICTY neighborhood (Statenkwartier, where I just rented an apartment a block from work) and the only non-white people I see are ICTY professionals. Generally, the area is homogenous (like milk).
The racial composition begins to change a little in Jason's neighborhood (Zeeheldenkwartier, closer to downtown). But not much. Homogenous still, with the occasional Turkish Pizza place.
Last weekend, Jason and I went down to a "Werkbazar" (job fair) near Oranjeplein, within sight of the rail station Hollands Spoor. Not coincidentally, this is also where the huge, open-air Haagse Markt is also found. At the werkbazar, the ratio of brown folks to white was at least 9 to 1. It was packed with food stalls selling mostly Surinamese food (yummy spicy, but the way). On the stage, they had a "Hip-Hop Salsa" band, with some American emcees. Outside the official event was a shadow Arab festival.
Seattle is not exactly together racially. Just visit a couple of churches in the Central District on Sunday for proof of this.
But it's nothing like it is here. Not even close.
I can walk around the ICTY neighborhood (Statenkwartier, where I just rented an apartment a block from work) and the only non-white people I see are ICTY professionals. Generally, the area is homogenous (like milk).
The racial composition begins to change a little in Jason's neighborhood (Zeeheldenkwartier, closer to downtown). But not much. Homogenous still, with the occasional Turkish Pizza place.
Last weekend, Jason and I went down to a "Werkbazar" (job fair) near Oranjeplein, within sight of the rail station Hollands Spoor. Not coincidentally, this is also where the huge, open-air Haagse Markt is also found. At the werkbazar, the ratio of brown folks to white was at least 9 to 1. It was packed with food stalls selling mostly Surinamese food (yummy spicy, but the way). On the stage, they had a "Hip-Hop Salsa" band, with some American emcees. Outside the official event was a shadow Arab festival.
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