Nick Martens contrasts a typical scene in Amsterdam’s Dam Square with a picture of the plaza during a protest.

Megageek Nick Martens visits Amsterdam’s Jewish Historical Museum’s new exhibit on the history of Jewish comics artists.

Should critical reception of art dissuade our enthusiasm towards it? Nick Martens discusses how reviews affect our opinions before we buy a movie ticket or listen to an album.

Nick Martens delves into the history of Amsterdam’s intricate and pervasive canal system, which runs through the city like blood vessels.

Nick Martens takes a trip to the Holland Casino and finds that Amsterdam’s idea of gambling is nearly the opposite of what we come to expect from Las Vegas.

Though Amsterdam is often associated with its sexual promiscuity and liberal policies regarding recreational drug use, adventurer Nick Martens discovers that the city’s most stimulating feature is its bicycle culture.

This is the first installment in a series of essays by adventurer Nick Martens, who is currently studying at the University of Amsterdam. Arriving a few days before his program at the University of Amsterdam begins, Nick Martens relates a pair of anecdotes regarding the quirks of descending into an unfamiliar culture.

On his 1,500-mile road trip, Nick Martens finds comfort in LCD Soundsystem and Malcolm Gladwell while battling the frustrations of snowy weather, bad traffic, and Idaho.

Does the consistent decline in sales of recorded music mean the end of music? Probably not, but clearly the game is changing. Nick Martens contrasts the abstract value of digital music with its more direct incarnations–concerts, music videogames, and ringtones.

Exaggerated tabloid and website headlines often lead to stories that can’t live up to their promising titles. Nick Martens turns the tables on this situation and produces fittingly sensational tales for sensational headlines.