Wednesday, February 27
Today I woke up early and caught a train from Haarlem to Rotterdam. I do not prefer trains because they are more expensive (I don’t care about comfort), but no buses ran the route I was going.
I was greeted by the van der Veek family, who I had first met eight months ago on my first trip to the Netherlands. They drove me to their hometown of Dordrecht, and we explored the city together.
Ruud, Nataliya, and Maximiliaan explained that Dutch buildings lean out onto the street partly to protect people from rain, and partly because the ground has moved over time. In fact, the ground has moved so much that the city’s main church now leans almost a meter!
Maximillian and I hiked to the top of this church tower (twice actually, because it was locked the first time) and enjoyed the most beautiful cityscape view at the top.
We bought cakes from their favorite local bakery (which were incredible) and ate loompia, a traditional Dutch food that tastes like a fried spring roll.
That evening we took a drive around Dutch lake homes and a greenhouse before setting off to attend an orchestra concert where Max’s friend was performing. Such a cool experience!
Thursday, February 28
Today I woke up to enjoy breakfast with my Dutch family - I never thought I would feel like a daughter in the Netherlands, but that is exactly how the van der Veek’s made me feel!
Nataliya had to work, but Ruud, Maximiliaan and I went to explore The Hague. We explored the busy city center, saw the king’s palace, and took a tram to the pier where I tried Dutch kibbling for the first time. It was colder today, but I hear that rain is part of the Dutch experience!
The highlight of The Hague was the Mauritshuis, a gallery that was featuring works by Rembrandt and other famous artists. What a cool experience, especially to this museum with men who are artists themselves. Ruud is trained in glassblowing, and Maximiliaan is a prodigy when it comes to playing the piano.
We also explored the old city of Willemstad, which was once a well defended Dutch fortress. The city is like a storybook come to life, and Max and I explored the bunkers that are preserved in the city.
Over dinner the four of us discussed Ruud’s time as a solider in Surinam, Max’s interest in Japanese culture, and Nataliya’s experiences visiting East Berlin while living in communist Bulgaria. I feel like the luckiest girl in the world to have been welcomed into such a generous, international, and fascinating family.
Friday, March 1
Happy Martinista day! This Bulgarian holiday was celebrated by my Dutch family because Nataliya is Bulgarian and the couple plans to retire there. Maximiliaan made me a martinista bracelet, which is meant to be worn for the month of March for good luck, and hung on a tree to bring a warm spring.
Ruud and Max took me to the bus station today, bought me a coffee, and waved as a I set off for my next destination: Antwerp, Belgium.
I arrived at the central station in the early afternoon - the building was amazing! From the city center I began walking toward the MAS museum, taking detours along the way as beautiful buildings came into my peripheral view. The MAS museum had a strange assortment of displays, and some of the levels were free.
The view from the top of the museum was the best part - great views of Antwerp all around.
I read my book at a cafe until my friend Anne was off work - she and I met in Peru three years prior. She showed me more of the city with the car, and explained some history. Antwerp was the first harbor that sent people to America, and many old buildings reflect that history. A folk story about a giant (all Belgian folk stories include giants) resulted in a waiter chopping off a giant’s hand and throwing it into the river. In Flemish, the language spoken here, “Ant” means “hand” and “twerp” means “throw,” hence the name of the city.
Anne and I explored her neighborhood a bit, and then enjoyed Belgian beers over a fried rice dinner. We have both changed so much - it was great to catch up.
Saturday, March 2
This morning I took a bus to Eindhoven, because the holiday Carnavaal is starting this weekend in southern Netherlands. My friend Loes, who I also met in Peru, met me at the station.
She welcomed me into her home, where she and her boyfriend Bart have the sweetest four month old baby. Evi was the highlight of Eindhoven! Such a sweetheart.
I had visited just in time for Carnavaal, a celebration that takes place in southern Netherlands and some parts of Belgium. Historically, this holiday began as a celebration at the end of winter, where communities threw a party to eat the food that was leftover in winter storage. Carnavaal is traditionally followed by a day of fasting (because there was no more food), but we just did the party.
This celebration challenged social hierarchies, and allowed farmers to dress up like royalty for a day. For me, this holiday felt a lot like Halloween, which is not celebrated abroad like it is in the US.
Loes and Bart dresses as a steampunk couple, I borrowed a little red riding hood outfit, and Evi had a peacock costume. Together, we went with some extended relatives to a KidsCarnavaal nearby. So cool to experience an event that was truly local.
That evening Loes introduced me to some local Dutch food, including krokets, frikandel (my favorite), kaassoufflé (deep fried cheese), and balkenbrei (pig brain mash - kind of weird). Such a fun day.
Sunday, March 3
Today I woke up and joined the family for breakfast, which included “hagelslag,” which is chocolate sprinkles on bread. This is a traditional breakfast in the Netherlands - and obviously delicious.
Anne, who I had stayed with in Belgium, arrived by bus to visit for the day, and the three of us had a Peruvian reunion! Anne borrowed a queen costume from Loes, and the three of us went to another Carnavaal party - it’s a four day event!
We spent the afternoon dancing to circus style music with some family of Loes, and had a wonderful time reliving our Peruvian adventures.
Monday, March 4
Because the only bus to Ghent left at 6pm, I spent a third day in Eindhoven (to my delight - I am obsessed with this baby!)
After breakfast with the family, Loes and I took the baby on a walk before cooking Spinach Stampot for dinner. This traditional meal, which combines mashed potatoes and vegetables, was absolutely delicious. I loved the chance to be a part of this sweet family for a weekend, and reconnect with a great friend.
In Ghent I tried couch surfing for the first time, and my host picked me up from the bus stop and we explored the city lit up at night.
Tuesday, March 5
This morning I woke up after sleeping on the couch of my new friend Riet. She is 67, and offers her couch to travelers in order to meet new people in retirement via the Couchsurfing app. I was nervous to use this app, but after meeting Riet I understand why Couchsurfing is so popular. She was so incredibly kind, and after making me breakfast we went to explore the MSK art museum. She knew so much about the artists and paintings, it was wonderful.
After lunch in her home, we took off for Brugge, the city where she grew up. This well-preserved medieval city felt like walking through a children’s fairytale. The walled city featured cobblestone roads, colorful homes, and canals everywhere. I met Riet’s sister, who lives in a large, 600-year old pink house in the middle of the walled city.
Riet showed me her favorite churches and alleys, and we enjoyed a cup of coffee with a view in a cafe that was the parlor of a woman’s home.
To my great surprise, we stumbled across a vial of Jesus’ blood that was on display, being blessed by a priest. What are the chances!
In the evening, Riet dropped me off at the home of my next couch surfing host, a wonderful young woman who had traveled all over the world, and was planning a trip to the parts of Asia I had just come from. We got along great! So happy that Couchsurfing has been such a success.
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