Aika Kanda’s Exciting New Year in the Netherlands: The Evolved Mother-Daughter Bond

“Is this possible?”

During this New Year’s holiday, I visited Amsterdam, Netherlands with my mother. Thirteen years ago, my mother came across a bridge called Anaconda Bridge in Amsterdam in the newspaper, and she had been thinking, “I want to see it someday!” ever since. It’s a mysterious bridge not even mentioned in The Japan Travel Guide. (What kind of place and what kind of bridge is it!?) Nervously, we walked for 40 minutes from the hotel, taking a tram and then walking, arriving in a quiet residential area with zero tourists. Along the canal, about 1 km of two-story apartments lined the way, and in the distance, we saw a faint red line. My mother pointed and said, “Ah!! The Anaconda Bridge!” We hurried forward, and as we got closer, we both exclaimed, “Wow!” in awe and clapped.

The imposing red railing, together with a walkway about 3 meters wide, twisted dramatically, stretching 90 meters to the opposite shore. Its dynamic and powerful presence was exactly like an anaconda wrapping around its prey. “There’s no other bridge like this!” we said, feeling exhilarated. Locals walked their dogs and jogged across the bridge. I wondered why such a strikingly designed bridge was built in such a peaceful, everyday environment. That contrast was fascinating, and it became one of the spots I wanted to recommend in the Netherlands.

Then, on New Year’s Eve, according to some pre-trip information, in Amsterdam, people are free to set off firecrackers anywhere in the hours around the New Year. There were even signs saying “At your own risk in case of injury,” and it seemed that especially many people gathered in the famous Dam Square, where firecrackers continued to go off. (This is something we can’t see in Japan!) I thought, so I stayed in a room facing Dam Square to properly observe it.

Around 11 PM, loud bangs began to echo outside the hotel, Bang! Pop! “It’s starting!” I called to my mother, and hurried to look outside the window. The scene was beyond anything I had imagined—I couldn’t believe my eyes. It wasn’t firecrackers, but fireworks. And they were the kind of fireworks that would never be set off in the streets in Japan. They were so high and large that I doubted they were meant for amateurs. They were being launched from all over the place. Each firework shot off diagonally, some hitting buildings, and some even hitting people on the stomach, knocking them down due to the bumpy cobblestone ground. It felt like something from a large-scale protest or riot, like scenes in news reports.

Then, at the stroke of midnight, a massive countdown chant began from somewhere, and at “Zero!” the sky was filled with an overwhelming number of fireworks, Bang! Bang! Boom! and Pop! Pop! Pop! It was spectacular. This was the essence of traveling abroad. It perfectly loosened up my thoughts, which were constrained by Japanese norms, with a strong, stimulating experience. That’s why I can’t stop traveling abroad. My mother and I exchanged looks and said, “Is this really happening!?” and “What kind of country is this!”

A place I got to because I was with my mother

The excitement didn’t settle down, and before I knew it, it was 2:30 AM. Eventually, I began to feel sleepy as the excitement wore off, but fireworks were still being set off in the square. Wanting to stay in that scene just a little longer, I fell asleep with the curtains still open.

On New Year’s morning, my mother and I exchanged New Year greetings before heading to Antwerp, Belgium. Nine years ago, she had seen the station building of Antwerp Central Station on TV and thought, “I want to see that at least once!” Since then, she had dreamed of visiting. The train ride took an hour and 20 minutes, and when we arrived, we were greeted by an incredibly beautiful station building. It had such delicate construction, yet was so imposing that it felt almost intimidating. It was an extremely old building, yet it seemed as though it still carried a soul, with an indescribable, mystical atmosphere. My mother gazed at it for a while, her eyes sparkling like a young girl’s.

Thus, the trip to fulfill my mother’s wish came to an end. For me, traveling to places I wouldn’t normally visit provided more stimulation than I had imagined.

On the way back, I thought about it. Thirteen years ago and nine years ago, my mother was 61 and 65 years old. (At that age, she thought, “I want to go to these far-off, lesser-known places,” and made those dreams come true!) I wondered, when I reach that age, will I still be able to maintain such strong curiosity and the drive to act on it? When I asked her, she said there are still many places she wants to visit after seeing them in newspapers or on TV, thinking, “I want to go there someday!” I want to fulfill more of her curiosity while she’s still healthy. Using her curiosity as inspiration, I also want to meet more exciting new experiences. This winter, my impression of my mother changed, and our mother-daughter relationship evolved.

Aika Kanda (born 1980, Kanagawa Prefecture) graduated from the Faculty of Science, Department of Mathematics, at Gakushuin University. In 2003, she joined NHK as an announcer. After leaving NHK in 2012, she became a freelance announcer. Since then, she has been active, primarily in variety shows, and is currently a regular main MC on the daytime program “Poka Poka” (Fuji TV).

★Her first book, which compiles this series, “Oudo tte iu michi, doko ni tottemasu ka?” (Where Does the Road Called ‘The Royal Road’ Lead?), is a bestseller and available now!

 

 From “FRIDAY” February 14, 2025 issue