Chung Chi study trips were extended this summer, including a visit to the Netherlands, one of the Low Countries in Europe. The “Echoes of the Golden Age: Exploring the Netherlands — Then and Now” focused on sustainable development, history, and art, leading a participant, Ms. Hannah Chan (IBBA/2), to discover that the country is more than just windmills and tulips.

Q: Why did you apply for the Netherlands study tour?

A: The moment I saw the tour’s theme, "Now and Then," I was instantly hooked. Having studied history in high school, I spent three years learning about the development of modern Europe through texts and images in textbooks, but I always dreamed of setting foot in the places where history happened. I wanted to see how the two World Wars transformed these countries and compare how cities looked before the destruction with how they have evolved after the war. I wanted to move beyond surface-level facts and truly experience history for myself.

Visiting with Chung Chi instead of traveling on my own was an absolute no-brainer because I believe it would offer much more depth. The college would arrange deep-dive museum tours and architectural walks led by professionals. Having experts unpack the design concepts, history, and cultural context behind every building and artwork made a world of difference. Instead of rushing through like a typical tourist without real exploration, I could walk away with a genuine, multi-dimensional understanding of the culture there.

Students visited the Bloemenmarkt in Amsterdam for a field study to gain insights into space utilisation techniques in floating cities.

Q: Which cities and attractions did you visit during the tour?

A: We visited five major Dutch cities: Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Utrecht, Haarlem, and Delft. On our first day, we went to Utrecht University for an academic exchange. Professor Kwan Mei Po shared her impressive research on how the surrounding environment affects human emotions, while professors from Utrecht University presented their findings on digital urban planning, water management, and nature-based solutions. It was an incredible learning experience.

We also visited world-class art museums like the Van Gogh Museum, the Rijksmuseum, and the Frans Hals Museum. In addition, we joined architectural tours in Amsterdam and Rotterdam, where we had an up-close look at some incredibly futuristic, experimental buildings such as the Cube Houses, the Markthal, and the Floating Office Rotterdam.

Students participated in a guided tour of the Van Nelle Factory, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Rotterdam, and learned about the essence of modernist industrial architecture.

Q: What suprising discovery did you make on this trip? 

A: I was astonished by how central cycling is to everyday life in the Netherlands. Over 90 percent of the Dutch population know how to ride a bike, and people commute on two wheels, rain or shine!

What impressed me even more was the infrastructure built to support cycling. There are dedicated bike lanes and separate traffic signals everywhere, keeping cyclists safe from cars and public transit. Even buildings are designed with cyclists in mind — for example, Amsterdam Central Station has a massive underground bicycle parking facility with downhill ramps to make access as smooth as possible. Seeing it all in person made it clear why the Netherlands is known as one of the most bike-friendly countries in the world.

Q: What is your most valuable takeaway from this journey?

A: The most unforgettable part of the trip was learning a systematic way to analyse art pieces, which our guide introduced to us at the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam. It completely changed the way I look at exhibitions and opened a whole new world for me.

The guide walked us through a simple, three-step framework while we were looking at the piece Cultivation by Radioactivity in the Electronic Circuit. First observing every tiny detail, such as a greenhouse-shaped container, a glowing green light, and flies resting on the brain. Then asking questions to gather context: When was that made? What was the artist’s life like? What do the flies and light represent? Finally connecting the dots with history to figure out the deeper message.

We learned this specific piece was created by a Japanese artist Tetsumi Kudo (1935-1990) after World War II. The flies and brain symbolised death from the war, and the green light represented nuclear radiation from the atomic bombs, all reflecting the artist's deep thoughts over the conflict.

Since learning this, I do not just rush through museums anymore. I can naturally apply this logic to any pieces of art I see. There was so much joy in that immersive process of observing, reasoning, and uncovering hidden meanings. This new perspective is, undoubtedly, the most profound and precious gift the Netherlands tour gave me.