Amsterdam, Netherlands

Bikes, bikes, and more bikes. Amsterdam proved that you better be quick on your feet, because a bike will hit you or another person walking too briskly, a vehicle driving wherever they want and at whatever speed, or the tram (the train system that runs around the whole town as public transportation). These Dutch folks seemed to be in quite the rush, but I took the opposite approach, walked leisurely, and soaked in the charming city. The buildings were tall, with no spaces between them. They had many windows and were a multitude of colors! The canals wove in and out of streets and had small boats traveling among them. As for food, I wanted some TRUE Dutch food, but it was slightly harder to find than I imagined it would be. I was unaware, but Amsterdam is known for being able to have any kind of food you can think of-- American, Chinese, French, Greek, Turkish, Argentinian, and even Indonesian! Thankfully, I came across a few Dutch places and made a pit stop. I got me a Dutch pancake! Take the size of your face, multiply it by two, and voilà, that's the size of this thing. It's super thin and you can order from many different kinds; I got Apple! You put a small amount of syrup on it (tastes a little funny) and powdered sugar, and then your meal is complete. It was delicious! 

A couple of my favorite places in Amsterdam- The Flower Market, The Anne Frank Museum, and The Van Gogh Museum. The Flower Market I got to walk by frequently, and it was a whole block of these shops selling tulips and tulip themed knickknacks! It was extremely colorful and beautiful. For example, you could buy 50 tulips for 6€ (about $6). It was hard for me to not buy them, but what would a girl do with 50 fresh tulips and a backpack? I did buy some hand crafted, wooden tulips though. They were a bit more practical :) I loved them so much that I wanted to buy 20, but I refrained, for obvious spacial reasons. Next, the Anne Frank Museum was really something special. I'm sure most of y'all know the story behind Anne Frank, but actually standing where her and her family hid from the Nazis gave me goosebumps and even made me a little emotional. WWII has always fascinated me, so this experience was a must-see for my list. Then, The Van Gogh Museum was another stop I knew I had to take. Some Museums are difficult to navigate around, but this one was designed well. It took me a couple of hours to wander through the whole thing, but it was worth every second and penny! Van Gogh was such an exceptional artist and learning his story of growth and decay was interesting. Also, the different techniques he practiced and used were captivating! 

As for the more liberal experiences in Amsterdam, I took a backseat on, but if those things are legal (you can google these things if you wish, but beware), just imagine the lifestyles. It would be wrong to categorize everyone together, but as a generalization, the people here could be described as "free". As I was explained to, "if you want to jump in the canal, you can." Of course there are laws, but the Netherlands allow quite a bit of freedom of choices, especially when it comes to your personal body. Not everyone lives this way, but it is an option here. 

Overall, Amsterdam was much more fast-paced than Brussels and more lively. I really enjoyed the architecture here and it was easier to navigate around than Brussels, but there were still many curved roads. Another thing I enjoyed was the cheese! Yes, CHEESE! One night for supper, I had cheese and crackers. As for safety, you must be careful here, because typically, the more people, the more likely it is to be pick-pocketed and such, so if you travel here, be careful! 

Next blog coming: Luxembourg City, Luxembourg

As always, 

Stay Adventurous, 

Vaarwel!

Laura