If you have been following me since the beginning of the blog (August 2020), then you know I left for an amazing adventure in the fall of 2015. I have written about Germany, Finland, and Sweden. Now on to the next leg of my trip. The Netherlands.
I hugged Marja goodbye and boarded the plane in Helsinki and was off to my next stop. I was now headed to the Netherlands to visit my friend Susana, with whom I graduated and who was a foreign exchange student from Spain. Susana, her husband, and her two adorable children were right there waiting for me in Amsterdam.
We had dinner at the airport and then headed back to their house. They lived about an hour from the airport in a cute little townhouse. Although it had been 21 years since we had seen each other, Susana and I stayed up talking for hours just like no time had passed! The next day we went to pick up a friend of mine from Richmond who was meeting us there. Susana showed us all around Amsterdam. The three of us had an amazing day. We tried not to get run over by all the passing bicycles (which is extremely difficult) because the bikers are everywhere!! The bicycle parking by the train stations is just insane and was something I couldn’t even believe. It also made me realize what a wonderful place Amsterdam was that people enjoyed being outside and riding their bikes everywhere.
We ate some wonderful food at open-air restaurants, saw the Amsterdam sign, the oldest wooden house in Amsterdam, and some infamous “coffee shops”. (For more pictures, click here.) It was such a fun day. We had many laughs and just relaxed as we toured around the city. We weren’t on a time schedule, and we all enjoyed each other’s company. Susana was a great tour guide! It was nice to have someone show us around. We took the train home, and I remember just feeling happy and content. I was so blessed to be on this adventure. I was so blessed for my new friend and my old friend to hit it off so well. I was so blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.
The next day, Susana and her family showed us around Utrecht. It was about halfway to the airport, and she helped us get on the train after our exploring. Utrecht was also an amazing little city. I loved all the canals of the Netherlands. I believe Americans first think of the Red Light District or the coffee shops in Amsterdam, but I am not sure we truly understand the beauty of Amsterdam unless we go there. The canals are amazing. The bridges are fantastic. It is so much more.
Although we only had three days in the Netherlands, it was enough to get a little taste of it, but I also knew there was so much more to explore, and I couldn’t wait to return one day. Little did I know then that I would get to be the tour guide for my husband three years later.
After we hugged Susana and her family goodbye, my friend, Erin and I were off on our next adventure. Italy!
