While bars and restaurants are open again, the UT horeca stays closed for now. Not surprising when you look at the very few students still being on campus. I am just disappointed to not enjoy any Starbucks iced coffee this summer. Saves me quite a bit of money though. Another thing I will have to miss is cheap beer combined with a random selection of songs played after each other. Yes, Bohemian Rhapsody and Let it go are very combinable. Of course, I am talking about the Vestingbar on campus. Almost everyone is getting to know this place during their first kick-in parties. Sticky floor. Very sticky floor. I guess if you dropped something, it will stay there forever. Otherwise, blood red walls and the familiar logo of a cow. A pretty drunk cow with its tongue hanging out. Overall, the interior is clearly worn-down by many generations of partying UT students. It is no surprise then that the bar is currently being renovated before the new generation of students arrives. But in some ways the Vestingbar is also ahead of its competition. The webcam allows you to check the crowdedness inside the bar and on the dance floor. Very handy when determining whether you should drink another beer or get ready for a night out. While looking at the webcam video on their website, it usually goes like this for me:
23:00h I see there is not much going on yet and get myself another beer.
23:15h I take another look and the bar is packed. Where did all the people come from?!
23:20h I hastily drink the last sip of my beer before leaving the house.
Once I manage to climb the stairs toward the terrace of the Vestingbar, I take a deep breath of fresh air. Inside I am hit by a smell combination of beer, sweat and frituurvet. A portion of Dutch snacks may not be missing. Downstairs, I then try to memorize the exact location of my jacket. It is advisable to not bring a black jacket if you would like to find it back easily after a few drinks. A short glance into the mirror at the women’s toilet. Once again, I wonder why only the men’s toilet has such a nice waterfall to pee into. Even if it is just as decoration. Upstairs, I am greeted by groups in matching shirts of their particular student association. But now the one thing that you can really only find at the Vestingbar. It is foute party, 80s, 90s, 00s, carnaval and rock night mixed into one DJ set. The music will for sure serve everyone’s taste. But until the bars and restaurants at the UT are opening again, I will enjoy my beer while listening to foute music played by the students around me on campus.
