Bitcoin City celebrates six months

Half a year ago, three Bitcoin enthusiasts, Patrick van der Meijde, Annet de Boer and Rogier Eijkelhof, came to Arnhem, a small town in the east of the Netherlands, determined to create the hometown of Bitcoin. At that time, the number of local merchants accepting the Bitcoin system doubled from 15 to 41. The 6-month anniversary of the establishment may not seem common, but in the ever-changing world of digital cryptocurrency, 6 months is like an age in the real world. Many people came here to commemorate and celebrate together, and I also witnessed this anniversary with them.

(Inside Bitcoins European correspondent Ian Jackson visited Arnhem, which claims to be the “most Bitcoin-friendly city in the world.”)

On May 28, these three Bitcoin enthusiasts decided that they would spend Bitcoin in Bitcoin town. Their mission was to convince local bars and restaurants to accept Bitcoin payments, and the final achievement far exceeded their expectations. This also inspired them to the true foundation of Bitcoin. Recently, Bitcoin has always been associated with governments and banks, scandals and scams, laws and jurisdictions, speculation and start-ups. We seem to have forgotten that Bitcoin originated from the grassroots. Only there can Bitcoin truly transform enthusiasm into a real expansion of the monetary system.

A speech, a piece of cake, but there is more to the story

People came from far and wide to gather in the old dance hall Roses Lounge by the river. They came to witness the anniversary, to spend Bitcoin, and more importantly, to feel the positive Bitcoin atmosphere.

“I’m just an average person spending Bitcoin.”

This is an "anarchist" community, and there was not even an introduction process for the anniversary. People listened to a short speech; the cake was divided; people were divided into several groups to eat dinner. There are many restaurants in Arnhem that support Bitcoin payments, so the dishes are also very rich. After dinner, the seminar began. Just like the decentralized dinner, the seminar was also conducted in a decentralized way. Participants braved the cold and traveled in the world of Bitcoin.

This speech is actually a narration. Every participant has his own Bitcoin story. In such an emerging community, people are not all true Bitcoin enthusiasts. Various motivations have driven them here. Otto De Voogd returned to Arnhem from Estonia. Estonia imposes a heavy tax of 23% on Bitcoin transactions, which actually directly kills the Bitcoin system in the country. "I chose to return to the Netherlands because this is my hometown and I can also do business with Bitcoin here." He told Inside Bitcoins reporters.

Julian Hoffbauer is from Bavaria and has recently completed his undergraduate thesis investigating the current state of Bitcoin adoption in the hotel industry.

“I always conduct my research late at night, when the hotel staff have nothing better to do than chat with me.”

This undergraduate thesis received the highest score and is worth reading. Merchants always hear negative news about Bitcoin in the original summary news on mainstream media websites. Exploring the positive aspects of Bitcoin is a new experience.

“In fact, they almost never hear positive news about Bitcoin. It’s still mostly negative news,” Hoffbauer said.

The Elusive Mr. Bitcoin

Martijn Wismeijer is widely regarded as the father of Bitcoin. He recently announced that he has implanted two chips in his hands, allowing him to make payments remotely without a smartphone. He is everywhere, yet invisible.

“He’s here, somewhere,” people always say to me. “He has a big beard.”

Despite his distinctive facial features such as a beard, his whereabouts remain elusive.

The anniversary event came to an end without warning. After a tiring day, people's enthusiasm began to fade, and even the three hosts began to feel exhausted.

“Thanks to them, this is showing what Bitcoin is really like,” an unnamed attendee told me.

When I asked him about his personal situation in detail, he smiled and shook his head, refusing to answer.

“I’m just an ordinary person spending Bitcoin.”

But isn't this the core value of the Bitcoin community? They are the anonymous people who always avoid the camera, the unacknowledged contributors, they are the consumers of Bitcoin. Among these people, many have abandoned their own selfish interests and have a vision, just to develop Bitcoin better. They are the people who make up the Bitcoin City.