🇳🇱 NETHERLANDS (Amsterdam)

Unexpected Discoveries

Amsterdam marked the seventh country on our Christmas and New Year tour across Europe. Arriving at night, one of the first things that immediately caught my attention was Amsterdam Airport Schiphol—as an aviation enthusiast, it’s always hard not to notice a major hub like that. Before heading to bed at our hotel, my tour group friends and I slipped out for another one of our secret routines, taking what turned out to be my very last smoke in Europe. It felt a bit ironic to have my final cigarette in a city world-famous for its weed and pot culture. Our tour guide had even joked earlier that while we were technically allowed to try it, getting too high might leave us in no shape to board our flights back home.

The next morning, under a light, cold rain that I desperately hoped would turn into snow, we visited a local cheese factory housed in a large warehouse. The owner walked us through how traditional Dutch cheese is produced and stored, showcasing an incredible variety of wheels lining the shelves. We bought a few different kinds to bring home, some of which actually lasted for years in our refrigerator while still tasting surprisingly great. From there, we made a stop at a historic Dutch windmill. The surrounding landscape was remarkably vibrant, with colorful flowers and winter plants braving the cold weather. I took several photos and made sure to pick up a windmill refrigerator magnet to add to my growing collection.

In the afternoon, we made our way into the Amsterdam city center for a canal cruise. As our rented boat navigated the famous waterways, I couldn't help but notice how almost everyone in the city relied on bicycles for daily travel. Our tour manager even warned us to always look both ways before crossing paths, since getting hit by a cyclist usually meant paying for their bike's damages regardless of whose fault it was. Since the rest of the afternoon was free time, we strolled around the city and stumbled into a famous chocolate shop. They offered so many unique samples that I tasted almost every flavor available—enough to completely ruin my appetite for a proper dinner. Before heading back to the hotel, my mother panicked because we lost track of my brother, only to find out he had been wandering into local shops out of curiosity to look at their weed and pot products, though he didn't actually try any.

Our final morning in the city center took us to a diamond and jewelry establishment. The guide gave us a fascinating tour showing how raw diamonds are mined, cut, and refined into fine jewelry. Right before leaving the shop, I decided to purchase a Tissot watch. It was the very first expensive timepiece I ever owned, and to this day, wearing it instantly brings back vivid memories of Amsterdam. During our remaining free time before departure, we walked past iconic architectural landmarks like the Rijksmuseum, the Van Gogh Museum, and the Anne Frank House. While entering them wasn't part of our fixed itinerary, seeing the Rijksmuseum in person took on a special meaning years later when I added its digital counterpart to my city of Fitzland.

We left Amsterdam before lunch, but the memories of that stop have never faded. From the rich taste of local cheese and the charm of the canal cruise to the distinct smell of pots or weeds wafting through the streets—a scent I recognized from my time in New York—it was a truly memorable experience. Yet out of everything from that visit, nothing keeps the memory of Amsterdam alive quite like the Tissot watch resting on my wrist.