Did someone say STROOPWAFEL?!?!Amsterdam is where its at if you are a biker! We found this out atour arrival on the 17th and spent the next few days exploring a crazycity, rich in commerce, bikers, lots of rain, and rockin' good times.(Beware - the bikers don't stop!) Our first full day in Amsterdam wasspent with a somber and truly touching morning in the Anne Frankhouse, a bike tour of the city, a visit to a local market, and lotsand lots of shopping. Our hostel was located about 2 minutes from thelargest shopping street in the city, so we had many opportunities tohit the stores. After some dinner and a trip to the Rijk Museum tosee some famous Rembrandt, Vermeer, Jan Steen, and other Dutchpainters, Jenny took the group out for a night of dancing at Escape, ahighly renowned and very trendy European club.
The next day in Amsterdam we took a walking tour in the pouring rain,but learned quite a bit about the city and its rich history andcultural life. We also freed an indian. Warm and dry a bit later, wecooked pancakes for dinner on the steps of the hostel and had a familygame night before heading to bed early. We left the following morningfor Haarlem, where we found a beautiful park to phantom in overnight,ate quite a bit of Stroopwafels (the most delicious thing EVER) andplayed quite a bit of frisbee. The next day it rained (surpriiiise!)so our day in Den Haag, the political capital of the Netherlands, wasspent mostly online and trying to decipher Dutch comic books in thegargantuan library before going to see a movie that evening. Wephantomed once again near a cowfield, and were awakened early the nextmorning by a giant herd of curious (and very noisy!) cows. Needlessto say, those cows may have gotten a couple HEY PEOPLE! points on us.The weather being much better, we were actually able to see Den Haagthis time and we spent our morning in the Mauritshuis chillin with theGirl With the Pearl Earring and Dr. Tulp before exploring the M.C.Escher museum. We rode to the beautiful city of Delft for lunch andsome pottery shopping before biking the final distance to Hoek VanHolland, our last glimpse of Holland before heading back over theChannel to revisit England for the final stretch!
