Greg was the local we all hope to meet. The person who has the key to the city’s door and is willing to open it and usher you inside.
Photo by Pocket Aces
I play a lot of poker. Too much, actually, but that’s another story.
It was while playing poker at the Amsterdam casino that I met Greg. He was a friendly local, and upon hearing my travel tales, offered to show me around Amsterdam.
We had only known each other for about 5 minutes, but here I was, being offered an intimate tour.
I was a little disarmed by Greg’s exuberance and friendliness. Here was this guy, losing money to me, now suddenly eager to show me the city.
I had only been on the open road for a short time. My American cynicism was still strong. I recalled stories about locals ripping off travelers – and so, with Greg’s Euros sitting on the poker table in front of me, I graciously declined his invitation.
A few days later though, I saw Greg again and we talked. He said he ran a poker club and told me I could come by any time.
Start Of A Friendship
Greg was a regular at the casino and everyone there knew him. People assured me he wasn’t out to rip me off, and I should take him up on his offer of a tour. A few of them were going out later that night for drinks.
Greg opened the city to me and his kindness made my stay in Amsterdam worthwhile.
Sadly, I was leaving for Spain the next morning and had to rise early for my flight.
“I thought you were here for a while?” he said.
“I was. I was here for a week. That’s a long time in this city!” I replied. “I wish I could stay longer but I have a flight booked. I’ll be back sometime though.”
Greg wished me luck and gave me his card.
As it turned out, before I knew it, I felt the lure of the city call me. In Spain, all I could think about was Amsterdam, so I canceled my Spain plans and returned.
This time Greg and I became good friends during my extended stay. I saw him often in the poker room and he would always invite me back to his place for late night games.
It was through him that I met many locals and had a “Dutch experience” in Amsterdam. I was introduced to the local bars and restaurants, to Dutch food, and Dutch hangouts.
Greg took me around and showed me the city. I met another close friend through him. Greg opened the city to me and his kindness made my stay in Amsterdam worthwhile.
An Unexpected Turn
Photo by Jimmy Ok
Soon it was time to leave. I went to the casino to say goodbye. Greg hadn’t been answering his phone and I figured I’d find him in the poker room.
Sadly, he wasn’t in the casino that day, and I left without saying goodbye. I told my friends to tell him I’d be back and that “my money was coming back with me!”
Sadly, I wouldn’t get that chance. A few weeks after I left, three men entered Greg’s poker club and, as they robbed his house, shot him.
I only knew Greg for a month but in that time he changed my impressions of people. His friendliness and welcoming attitude were disarming.
On the road, you put your guard up to avoid bad situations, yet at the same time you want to be open and meet the locals. Interacting with locals is a constant struggle to find the right balance.
Open Your Eyes
Greg showed me that there was no reason to always be on your guard – that sometimes people are just being friendly. I take that lesson (and his card) with me wherever I go.
Greg epitomized the idea that travel is about who you meet, not where you go. I could have met him in any city in any country in any time, and he still would have treated me like he had known me for years.
When you meet others who fill your day with excitement and joy, nothing about the place really matters.
That was Greg. Greg was the local we all hope to meet. The person who has the key to the city’s door and is willing to open it and usher you inside.
I’ve met many people like Greg since that time in Amsterdam, and I see a little of Greg in all of them. But it was Greg who showed me it was OK to make that first, trusting step.
I’m not sure where Greg is now, but wherever he went, I know he left an impression on many people. He left one on me.
Have you met that special local who opened their city to you? Share your experiences in the comments!
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16 Comments... join the discussion!
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How true! I believe that’s what brought me back to Berlin. I was just traveling and on my first day in Berlin, I ended up accidentally participating in the May 1 rally and this guy’s flag kept conking me on the head. I kept hearing someone giggle and I turned around to see a giant smile and a friendly face. We ended up spending the entire day together just walking around the city and talking. Yes, sounds a lot like “Before Sunset” but in this case, real life was so much better. I think when you’re on the road you’re also a lot more open to people and when you find people to connect with, even if you’re from completely different backgrounds and from the opposite sides of the planet, it’s all the more valuable. We exchanged emails but I never heard from him, so I just kept traveling. Though I relished all the new sights and sounds that came with every city, Berlin still stuck out in my memory. A few months later, I decided that Europe was where I wanted to live for awhile and found a job that took me back to…Berlin! I lived in the city wondering if the curly haired boy in the U-Bahn was him, but to no avail. I gave up hope. However, I got to know the city on my own terms and in turn, I got to know myself.
Fast forward six months later on one cold dreary November day, when I was completely ready to pack up and go, I got a funny message from that funny boy. It turns out that he did email me (it got lost amidst my overloaded 2000+ inbox) but thought I never responded and I forgot one letter in his email address…After about a month of incredibly long daily emails, we finally decided to meet again. Well, I cant predict the future, but all I can say is that I’ve never been more in love with a city.
Good luck with meeting your friend again! I’m sure it will happen in due time. But I agree that its the people who most distinctly shape the memories of a town, city or country.
In E.M. Forester’s book entitled “A Passage to India” the character of Miss Quested is seeking to find the “real India,” and Mr. Fielding tells her that to find the “real India” she should meet the people of India.
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Awesome piece! I was JUST having this same conversation with my husband’s son in Cuba, and we, in turn, raised the question to several tourists we met: How do you get off the guide book trail and really get inside a culture by connecting with locals? Just by engaging in these conversations, they were able to get out of the book and into local life.
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thanks for the feedback. I see we all have our own greg.
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If you like these kinds of experiences, yous houdl definitely sign up for couchsurfing. I have been traveling through couchsurfing for 99% of the time and that way you meet people like this in every city in the world. I have personally grown so accustomed to this, that traveling through hostels almost seems like an empty experience. It just feels like you are looking at a city from the outside, without really experiencing it.
Check out my blog for everyday stories of the things you get to do when you are couchsurfing (especially the entries from my hitchhiking trip through Europe show a lot of good stories).So many Greg’s you couldn’t wish for more
Walter
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Im a huge fan of CS.,,if you are living in a foreign country or will be staying there for an extended trip, then join the different city groups. There are all these great meet-ups and creative events where people can meet locals and fellow travelers..
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My “Greg” story involves a lovely woman I sat next to on a flight from Johannesburg to Madagascar. She commented on my cowboy hat and we became instant friends drinking South African red wine and talking horses Since my comprehension of French was “limited” okay, nonexistent, she directed me on where to go all over the island. Her and her romantic partner owned one of the best restaurants in the country. They made my 6 weeks in Mada better than I could havre managed on my own. Think I’ll break out a bottle of excellent Shiraz from just over the way in Walla Walla, Washington and toast their memory. great story…sad for the planet’s loss of such a bright spirit in your mate Greg.
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Great read. Your post is a great reminder about putting our guards down and trusting more. Thanks!
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hey Nomadic Matt,
Im so sorry, I overread the part
“Sadly, I wouldn’t get that chance. A few weeks after I left, three men entered Greg’s poker club and, as they robbed his house, shot him.”
I feel totally insensitive! Im so sorry…
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Great piece Matt. Rings so true for many of us. Its the people (locals and fellow travelers alike) that complete our experiences on the road.
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Matt,
Great piece. But one thing: considering Greg’s untimely death and the less than savory characters that caused it perhaps your initial instincts weren’t far off. It does indeed seem like Greg’s connections to Amsterdam’s gambling underworld came back to haunt him. I suggest you keep that guard up on your travels lest you find yourself in the wrong poker room on the wrong night….
Cheers,
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Fine story and well written. Travel is full of interesting and revealing people – it is just getting that balance between openness and guardedness right that is so tricky.
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Matt – An interesting story. When I lived in Prague, back in '93-'96, I was sort of like your friend Greg. It's nice to read that other people do things similar to what I do – help out strangers. What goes around comes around. Enjoy your travels!
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Great Piece. Many times when I think back on my travels, it is the people that I met that come to mind before the destination itself.
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