Bikes and Stroopwaffels- My Visit to Amsterdam & Utrecht, Netherlands

I'm back from my Netherlands trip and had a fabulous time! My first stop was Amsterdam. I immediately bought a museum pass and used it everyday. My hostel was quite close to the Van Gogh Museum as well as the Rijksmuseum, both headliners of the Amsterdam museums. The Netherlands has a rich art history and to be able to see the masters on display was a neat experience, even for a non-artsy scientist type.

  

One of the most rewarding things one can do in Amsterdam is to wander along the canals. Without intention or direction is best. There are so many secret pockets to find, bikers to observe, houseboats to yearn for, and stories being told from those cobbled streets.

Another highlight of my museum circuit was the Anne Frank Museum. The Frank family moved to Amsterdam from Germany to escape the anti-semitism of Hitler's regime when Anne was four years old. Almost ten years later, in 1942, the Frank family went into hiding above Otto Frank's office space. It was here that Anne wrote her diaries recounting life in hiding. I was able to walk through the house, from the office space downstairs, through the secret bookcase, tiptoe up the staircase, and soak in the fear and confinement that seeped into the walls of the hidden apartment. It gave me a new perspective on how lucky I am to live free of fear of persecution, and how important it is for all of us to assure that for all members of society.

Anne Frank House

The Netherlands is known as a bike-friendly country, both geographically (it is super flat) and in terms of infrastructure (tons of bike lanes and endless bike parking). My expectations were surpassed! It was almost unbelievable how many people I saw on bikes- men in business suits, women in high heels and summer dresses, moms balancing with three (3!) kiddos on her bike, crusing down the path like it was just another day, which I'm sure it was. Nothing was too big for a bike. I saw new TVs being transported via bike rack, friends hopping a ride (called "dinking," I would later learn), and more groceries than you could imagine.

One of my most memorable evenings I spent in Vondel Park, watching the residents of Amsterdam enjoy the setting sun and acres of inviting grass, sunbathing, sharing a BBQ, and of course, on cruisin' on bikes!
Other museums of note that I visited in Amsterdam include the Amsterdam Historical Museum, Dutch Resistance Museum, and NEMO.

My high school friend Nikki is studying in Utrecht this semester, so after my time in Amsterdam, I jumped on a train for a fun weekend! She was a fantastic and fun host. I got all of the local secrets, especially at the Saturday morning market, where I indulged in too much dip and tasted my first stroopwaffel, a fantastic Dutch secret treat. Just the ingredients list will make your mouth water. Look 'em up.

We stumbled across Museum Speelklok, advertised as "The Most Cheerful Museum in the Netherlands." We would have to concur.The museum really does have it all, from musical clocks to street organs.

The cherry on top was Michel Jackson's "Thriller" played on the organ at the end of this room:

Afterwards, we strolled through the cozy streets of Utrecht, passing by the Domkerk (Dom Church) and wandering along the canals. I don't think I'll ever get tired of that!

A huge thanks to Nikki and Austin for showing me the sights and giving me a great taste of student life in Holland while I was visiting Utrecht!