Studying abroad in Europe allows for many relatively cheap travel opportunities. My school doesn't even schedule Friday classes, giving students ample time to spend exploring other cities. It's almost impossible not to be spontaneous. Last weekend my roommates and I followed our impulses and took a weekend trip outside of Italy. First stop - Amsterdam. We decided staying in a hostel rather than a hotel would be the most practical option when it came to price and location. I'm pretty sure this was the most daunting situation I've ever put myself in. We walked through the door to find a steep staircase engulfed by harsh yellow and blue walls. To the left of the stairs was the lobby, but I'm not sure I could even refer to it as that. A young man with dreads stood behind the desk while several seated occupants made small talk. A large, black cat positioned on a nearby chair. After an aggravating check-in process, we made our way up to our rooms. A room that held 10 had an open bed with my name on it. There were already people who had made themselves comfortable, which freaked everyone out a little bit. We left as soon as possible. I think I slept a maximum of 3 hours that night. The next morning we took a bike ride. It's safe to say this was the longest bike ride I have ever been on. Taking a 3 1/2 - hour biking tour was a great way to get to know the city, especially when we had to squeeze everything into just a couple of days. My hands and feet felt like they were going to freeze off due to the more than crisp temperature and rain, but we fit in because we were riding bikes. We immediately noticed hundreds of locals on bikes, mostly because we almost got run over. Amsterdam has bike parking, paths everywhere you turn, and bike traffic lights. I don't think I even knew such a thing existed. Must-Sees: I amsterdam Sign - When I think about Amsterdam, this is what comes to mind. It's the perfect photo op to prove to all your Facebook friends that you visited the city. Warning, if you go during the day there'll be tons of tourists like yourselves. Go late at night, too. It was deserted when we went during that time. Coffee Shops - In America, the term "coffee shop" is pretty self-explanatory. But in Amsterdam, the term takes on a slightly different meaning. People basically go here to smoke weed. Legally. I have to admit it's definitely interesting to see, whether or not you have a desire to take part in the marijuana-smoking activities. It's strange to be surrounded by something in broad daylight, which is normally illegal. TFIOS - If you're at all a fan of The Fault in Our Stars book and movie phenomenon, just trust me and visit the bench. A portion of the movie was filmed there, making a random green bench along an Amsterdam street now an infamous landmark. People from all over the world go to this spot to take a picture where Hazel and Gus shared one of many intimate moments. No shame. Anne Frank House - I've always liked history, so making my way to the Anne Frank House was up there on my what-I-need-to-see list. Everyone is somewhat familiar with her story, but being present where everything took place was pretty cool. What stood out to me the most was a voiceover I heard as I walked through the museum. It said Anne Frank always wanted to be a famous writer. Little did she know as she wrote in her diary that her thoughts and experiences would later be published and read by so many people. Before visiting, I read multiple times that Amsterdam is a place you have to visit if you have the chance. I can now say the same. I don't think there's anywhere else quite like it. So join the bikers. Because they will not stop for you.
1 Comment
6/11/2016 03:44:03 am
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