Nick Martens arrives in the Swiss municipality of Interlaken, known for its scenic glimpse of the Alps, outdoor recreation, and Hooters restaurant.

Nick Martens finds the only thing compelling enough to leave lovely Amsterdam: the Star Wars exhibit in Brussels.

Nick Martens reports from Amsterdam with an exclusive exposé on the dark secrets of the city’s chocolate cookie industry.

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.

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.

Road warrior Jeff Merrion takes the scenic route (well, scenic by post-rock standards) from Tacoma to Denver, encountering crooked cops on “the Loneliest Highway in America.”