Dutch Foods!
For lunch one day, I tried this – bitterballen – at the recommendation of one of my friends that I met in Dublin. [Bitterballen are a Dutch meat-based snack, made by making a very thick stew thickened with roux and beef stock and generously loaded with meat, refrigerating the stew until it firms, and then rolling the thick mixture into balls which then get breaded and fried.] As most traditional southern foods can contest too, just about everything is good when fried, and this was true for bitterballen as well. I wish that it was an easier snack to learn to make because it tastes great and I bet will be difficult to find in the US.
I also tried this stroopwafel fresh from the market. It was a particularly cold and rainy day so eating the warm, caramel-filled waffle was a highlight of my market adventure. The woman was making the pastries right at her stall in the market and she had an oven to heat up the waffles on the spot.
February 27th, 2020
I found a new hostel for my next two days in Amsterdam before traveling to Rotterdam. The hostel was different from many that I had been to before since it was only for women. They went all out having individually decorated theme rooms – mine was the Queen room. I was in a room with three other girls and enjoyed the nice comforter and free coffee as I caught up in my journal and on my embroidery that night.
It was also situated a metro stop away from the Ajax stadium, which was quite lively because there was a home game that night! I wish I had realized it sooner so that I could have found a buddy and some tickets to go watch the Europa League match. I ended up just watching fans file by as I ate dinner. I could still hear the cheers from the stadium!
February 28th, 2020
Today I explored around town, from the markets to the ballet/opera house. As I was roaming through the alleyways, stores, and buildings I stumbled across many different intriguing sites. Below is a fascinating sculpture popping out from the tile of the ballet/opera house.
While heading out of the opera building, after an unsuccessful acquisition of tickets to any shows that night, I walked through a public exhibit of Bicycle Architecture. Below are the images and information featured along the hallway. The current and future designs featured are amazing and I hope that they continue to be implemented in cities across the country as they are best for both people and the environment. The built environment that we live in impacts more than people realize. Many of our cities in North Carolina are centered around the use of cars, so people are meant to use cars. If the cities were built to prioritize bicycles, like Amsterdam, more people would be able to and likely to use bicycles. This can impact the environment as well as the wellbeing of citizens of the city.
The end of the hallway featured a fascinating display of the geology of Amsterdam. The way that Amsersterdam was built has the feature of canals and levees so that the city is not overrun by floodwaters. Most of the Netherlands would be underwater if it was not for the extensive engineering established to prevent deadly flooding, in response to a massive flood in 1953. In a few days, I will be in Rotterdam to see one of the major storm surge barriers near a port city.
Vintage jacket find! I was walking along the streets wandering and stumbled upon the cutest little vintage boutique. It was a thin place with only the owner inside. I came in without any real expectation of buying anything but then I found the cutest! embroidered vintage jacket. I talked with the owner of the boutique, an older gentleman who seemed to have a true passion for fashion. He told me stories of his career in the fashion world. He worked for a time with the Mrs. Universe pageants and owning his own boutiques in the 1980s – which is how he still has many vintage outfits that he is now continuing to sell as a hobby in his retirement. I had a great time talking to him and love the jacket!
Complete Streets – a transportation policy and design approach that requires streets to be planned, designed, operated, and maintained to enable safe, convenient and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities regardless of their mode of transportation. This street is a great example of a complete street because it allows for pedestrians and bicyclists to safely move around and it provides aesthetically pleasing street views with potted plants and nice architecture.
I found that it was quite easy to move around, straight from the pedestrian streets to the metro. This picture above was taken at one of the stops on my way back to my hostel.
As I unloaded my finds of the day at the markets, I remembered the painting I bought at a small shop. It was a print that was painted by a local and is a great representation of the city of Amsterdam’s canals and numerous bicycles. I had to pack it up carefully as I prepared for my journey to Rotterdam the next day.
Solaventuras 