The plane ride to Amsterdam was eight hours long, and it ended up being an 18-hour travel day because we took two planes to get there. Amsterdam is also six hours ahead of us, which made the time change another adjustment.
The culture in Amsterdam is very different from the U.S. The people are Dutch and speak a language called Dutch. However, many of them also speak English, so it was very easy to communicate. The people we met were also very nice.
The Dutch ride bikes much more often than we do in the U.S., and many people also use public transportation. When you take the bus, you have to swipe your debit or credit card when you get on and then swipe it again when you get off. If you don’t, the bus system may charge you for a full day’s bus ride.
My family and I also drove a rental car, but we mainly used the bus to get around. We stayed in a small town called Haarlem at the Van der Valk Hotel. In downtown Haarlem, we tried a lot of new foods, walked around, and explored different shops. It was mainly cloudy and rainy, but we still got the chance to walk around and enjoy Haarlem.
The Netherlands is also known for its canals, which run through the cities. People can take tour boats along the canals, and there are even houseboats where people live.
As I mentioned, bikes are a huge way that Dutch people get around. Even in the pouring rain, you would find people, young and old, pedaling their bikes. It was also cute to see babies and small children riding in small seats or carriers on the front and back of bikes. They even have similar carriers for dogs.
Of course, the main reason we went to Amsterdam in the first place was to drop my sister Charlotte off for her study abroad program.
Charlotte boarded the ship on Wednesday along with 500 other students from around the world. The ship was very large, and all of the students were very excited to begin their journey. Some parents cried and waved as the ship started to sail away. We all wish them the very best and hope they live, laugh, learn, love, and have a great time!
