Casa Robino

I was merely eighteen years old, more than twenty years ago, it was like my maident journey, something calling me.
A friend said she wanted to hitchike to Amsterdam and that she knew other people who had done it and it was safe.

We were a small group of three people but it was difficult to travel together so we split up, had okay journeys, nobody was troubled or hurt, rather the contrary, people on the road were kind, even gave us a bed and a meal sometimes as well as a lift.

On arrival some locals welcomed us and gave us the keys to an empty flat somewhere between Albert Cuyp straat, and Riijks Museum. They gave us bikes, and explained to us that we could get food. We lived simply, learned how to dampster dive and live off what the city recycled. Stayed two months, it felt like a whole new life and horizons had opened up, opened my mind. It was the most spiritual, free, creative and happy time of my life.

I also lived in squats a couple of times, but rarely found a peaceful home there. People are not free to live how they feel, there are pressure to uphold certain political views or lifestyle, there is sometimes violence and aggression, even in an all women house, there was little freedom and peace.

I will soon come to visit Casa Robino and so look forward to be sharing a meal with residents and sharing experience. Amsterdam is in my heart and i want to go back there asap, and continue that journey from my past into the present.