Canal Tour
This past weekend was our free weekend and our very last too, so a bunch of us booked a trip to Amsterdam. One of the most interesting things we got to do while in the city was a canal tour. We left the dock around seven and boated all throughout the canal system for an hour and a half. The tour guide had a bunch of cold drinks and snacks waiting for us on the boat. We did this on our first day there, which was great because it familiarized us with the different areas within the city. I got some really great photos and somehow held off getting sunburnt for a day.
Zaanse Schans
On our second day, we went on a trip to Zaanse Schans, which is a little town outside of Amsterdam. This area is known for its windmills, so I was sure to take a bunch of photos. We walked along a dirt path to see all the windmills and stopped in a few stores on the way. It was a really warm day, so I wore a dress. Of course, this proved to be a mistake when I got sunburnt and had to wear long sleeves the rest of the trip. We went into a cheese store and tasted some sample cheeses. Then, we went to the clog museum and watched someone carve out a pair of clogs. Finally, we got some gelato and headed back on the train.
Pannenkoeken Boot
One of my favorite parts about my trip to Amsterdam was the pancake boat we went on for dinner the second night. All of us climbed aboard and sat in the very front in a big booth. The pancakes were served almost immediately, and we dug right in. Dutch pancakes are very thin, so I ate almost five. We tried so many different combinations because there was an extensive toppings bar. I started with a Nutella and banana pancake, then a ham and cheese one, then a few pizza versions, and finally ended with an apple crisp one. By the end of it, I was satisfyingly full.
Brussels
The third day of our weekend trip was not spent in Amsterdam, but Brussels. We hopped on the train at six thirty and rode it for three hours to get to the capital of Belgium. Our first stop once we finally got to the city was a Belgian waffle place. I got a waffle with Nutella, whipped cream, and strawberry toppings. The Belgians really don’t mess around with their waffles. We somehow happened to be there during their Independence Day, so we took full advantage. We went to the independence fair and celebrated Belgium by eating a bunch of fries. Then, we went to the parliament building that they opened to the public for the day. There were so many beautiful rooms there. After that, we walked around, fell asleep in a booth at Brew Dogs for a bit, went to church, and finally got dinner before leaving.
