Before I begin, let me clarify a couple of things. The Netherlands = Holland = The Netherlands; Dutch is the spoken language. I found out that mistake when I asked my friend where Holland was located in The Netherlands. Through my travels I have discovered my limited global knowledge and have gained a wealth of knowledge. Now that I've visited various place I feel as though world history is more relevant. Even when I arrived in Eindhoven it was interesting to learn that this city was bombed in WWII and had to rebuild from scratch. Yet, others places in Holland were able to maintain their attractive features of old streets and classic styled buildings. I was really taken by this country in the sights I saw. Although, on my arrival the country seemed mystery as I traveled from Amsterdam to Eindhoven late at night on the train. There were no sights to absorb in the dark of the night. I was glad to reach my friend's house - a friend I met during my time kayak guiding in Okarito.
In the morning there was time to wander around Eindhoven. There were markets selling fruits, cheese, and materials. Our morning was relaxed enough to carry out some shopping. It didn't take long to see this city. With the sun lazily cruising across the sky we made our way to Utrecht, a nearby city filled with canals. It seems that many European cities have water flowing through the streets like veins. I found Utrecht to be a great city with interesting shops, timeless looking buildings, and a well designed tower. We finished the day of city exploration with a fresh beer before seeking out typical dutch food at the XL grocery store.
Our line up for adventures for the next day was ambitious. We began by driving to Delft, an old town that buildings were in great condition to showcase the picturesque image of Holland. Delft is one of my top rated places to visit. It is small but was extremely pleasant to stroll around. Although the coffee was less than desirable, the church tower provided a perfect beacon to overlook the town with a traditional windmill in the background. The town is home to the typical Delftware or Delfts blauw pottery. A style that can be seen as a common souvenir from Holland. Before leaving the town we had another coffee to accompany the typical dutch cookies; basically buttery biscuits (one marzipan and one butter). Afterwards, we headed to Rotterdam but did not visit for too long. This was an ordinary metropolitan city that was completely rebuilt from scratch due to the war – my least favourite city. If you were after a shopping day then this city would satisfy your needs but not much else. Since this has been the hottest summer/drought experienced through Europe we were in need of a refreshing swim. Stitchting beach was the nearby waterhole for the locals. The sand was like a fine, golden crumble beneath your feet and we shared the ocean with (mostly harmless) jellyfish. We soaked up the rest of the sunshine before enjoying a dinner on the beach at a beachfront restaurant. I would recommend trying anything satay if it is made with the famous dutch peanutbutter. Our night was concluded with a night walk to the pier accompanied by the candyfloss sunset sky.
My final full day was spend at Amsterdam. This City had a lot more on offer than the stereotypical experiences of visiting Amsterdam. After a slight sleep in and pancakes (plus dutch syrup) to fuel us we were ready to go. There were delightful markets to wander around, flower stalls, and winding canals hugged by old styled buildings. We strolled through the city, determined to see as much as possible within 5 hours. There were quirky shops, street musicians, coffee shops, and a very quiet Red light district which we passed through around midday. With all the walking we had endured we stopped for a break to enjoy bitterballen (meat based snack in a ball shape) and beer. With our legs aching we did a final sightseeing walk to the large park near the Museumplein and had an icecream. The heat was incredible and we were desperate to swim and went to the nearby swimming hole; a chill lake near the ocean. The long day ended with the perfect combination of pizza, icecream and a movie.
I didn't know what to expect from my time in the Netherlands but I thoroughly enjoyed the moments I had there. Thanks to my friend/awesome tour guide, I was able to gain a true impression of The Netherlands. On the last morning we went to IKEA to get lost in the store and try the Swedish meatballs. Then it was a 2 hour road trip to Belgium.
Next Stop --> Brussels, Belgium
Additional Adventure post Belgium:
I went back to Holland with my friend to explore the real Zeeland. The highlights were seeing Breda (a university city), the calm seaside of Zeeland, delicious Fresh seafood, and having a double rainbow Farewell on my final day in Holland.
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MB
You are a fantastic story teller. Keep up the good work.