Netherlands
Landmarks
Amsterdam, Netherlands is a very vibrant, beautiful city. Every street that you turn down has a gorgeous canal running through it (one of which is pictured below). One quality of Amsterdam that I found unique was the amount of people who use bikes as their primary mode of transportation. There would be entire parking lots solely dedicated to bikes. One of my favorite sights in the city was the Basilica of Saint Nicholas (pictured to the right). This stunning cathedral features classic Netherlands architecture. The Royal Palace Amsterdam and the National Monument were also very interesting sights in the city with a ton of unique history attached to them. It was incredible to see the palace where royals used to live in Amsterdam. The final sight that I will discuss is the famous Red Light District (pictured at the bottom of the page). On this long street in the city, illuminated by red neon signs, prostitution is legal and on full display. The storefronts feature prostitutes and various sex shops. Witnessing this cultural oddity was jarring but ultimately a very unique experience.
Food
Amsterdam's food scene is a diverse mix of international flavors and local specialties. This was particularly evident when I visited Foodhallen (a large food market) which featured cuisine from around the world. Here I tried a delicious pretzel dog. One Dutch delicacy is French fries with a special sauce called frietsaus, which is similar to mayonnaise. Dutch pancakes (similar to crepes) were also delicious. There were sweet pancakes with toppings like lemon curd and chocolate as well as savory pancakes with meat and cheese on them. Stroopwafels are another staple in Amsterdam. Stroopwafels are soft, thin waffles with a layer of caramel between them and various toppings. They were easily in my top five favorite foods that I had while abroad.
Excursions
While in the city, I went on a canal cruise. It was a great way to get a better view of the architecture all around Amsterdam. Also, the cruise explained some of the important aspects of the history of the city. Later, I visited a fascinating modern art museum called MOCO Museum. It featured a lot of experimental artworks about modern life and politics. Some sections were even interactive. The other museum I visited was even more peculiar. The Amsterdam Sex Museum was a funny and surprisingly informative journey. There was a mock red-light district with full animatronics inside. Lastly, Bloemenmrkt was a delightful little floating market on one of the canals. It stretches for several city blocks and includes dozens of flower, craft, and souvenir shops.
