AMSTERDAM! This was my first trip abroad while abroad. I love going to new places! I love visiting familiar places, but it is just so exciting to add a new place to your list of travels and a new stamp to your passport book. I went with Caitlin, Christine, and Lauren. We had FABULOUS weather which only complimented the adorable European cuteness of the city (which was tiny by the way!). The city is actually laid out like a spiderweb with a bunch of pretty canals. And bikes were EVERYWHERE! Seriously, I kept referring to bike parking spots as "bicycle graveyards" because there were just so many of them looking so haunted and alone, begging to be stolen. My Philadelphia bike brain couldn't handle the hundreds of thousands of cruisers that weren't even locked up most of the time! I guess no one steals bikes in Amsterdam. The other strange thing was that babies were in bikes everywhere! RIDING WITHOUT SEATBELTS! IN TINY LITTLE BIKE SEATS OR CARTS! NOT WEARING HELMUTS! I was very concerned for their safety.
Our hostel situation wasn't ideal. There were some complications about booking, which resulted in us all being separated int different 8 person rooms. Unfortunately, I was the only girl in a room of 7 guys. I was only in there to sleep, so it wasn't entirely terrible. But it definitely made things like getting dressed and showering awkward. I ended up using other people's bathrooms instead of using my own. But overall the atmosphere was hospitable and there was a cat named Lola that wandered the halls (and even got locked in my room the first night! Oops!) and we had free breakfast every morning.
FRIDAY
-Or flight got in a little late
-We attempted to get our bearings and ate cheese toasties
SATURDAY
-Walked about 8 miles
-Went to the Anne Frank House
-Went to the Van Gogh museum (a little dissapointing...)
-ate ridiculous amounts of food (french fries, Dutch pancakes, street hot dogs, coffee etc.)
-Sat along the canal
-Unsuccesfully attempted to meet up with flat mates (difficult without cellphones or internet access)
-Browsed the red light district at night (super creepy, and I consider myself liberal about that kind of stuff...)
SUNDAY
-People watched in Dam Square (the palace was unfortunately covered in scaffolding)
-Ate my weight in Stroopwaffles
-Explored different areas of town
-Sat in the park across from our hostel for 3 hours and relaxed
-Took a communal nap on the floor of Caitlin's room
-Midnight falafels
It was overall a great trip. Probably the only time I will ever go there. It's such a small city, I'm pretty sure I did everything I was supposed. Maybe again one day when I'm older...but Amsterdam is no Paris. I can visit Paris 1 billion times and never get sick of it.
Our hostel situation wasn't ideal. There were some complications about booking, which resulted in us all being separated int different 8 person rooms. Unfortunately, I was the only girl in a room of 7 guys. I was only in there to sleep, so it wasn't entirely terrible. But it definitely made things like getting dressed and showering awkward. I ended up using other people's bathrooms instead of using my own. But overall the atmosphere was hospitable and there was a cat named Lola that wandered the halls (and even got locked in my room the first night! Oops!) and we had free breakfast every morning.
FRIDAY
-Or flight got in a little late
-We attempted to get our bearings and ate cheese toasties
SATURDAY
-Walked about 8 miles
-Went to the Anne Frank House
-Went to the Van Gogh museum (a little dissapointing...)
-ate ridiculous amounts of food (french fries, Dutch pancakes, street hot dogs, coffee etc.)
-Sat along the canal
-Unsuccesfully attempted to meet up with flat mates (difficult without cellphones or internet access)
-Browsed the red light district at night (super creepy, and I consider myself liberal about that kind of stuff...)
SUNDAY
-People watched in Dam Square (the palace was unfortunately covered in scaffolding)
-Ate my weight in Stroopwaffles
-Explored different areas of town
-Sat in the park across from our hostel for 3 hours and relaxed
-Took a communal nap on the floor of Caitlin's room
-Midnight falafels
It was overall a great trip. Probably the only time I will ever go there. It's such a small city, I'm pretty sure I did everything I was supposed. Maybe again one day when I'm older...but Amsterdam is no Paris. I can visit Paris 1 billion times and never get sick of it.
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