Experiencing the Best of Europe
Day 1: I Want to Ride my Bicycle
“There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
Best Moments
1. Stepping out of the airport, and having friendly people help me find the transportation to Haarlem
Daily Recap
*I made it! Unfamiliar with the Schiphol Airport, I followed other passengers as they exited the plane. After some navigating mishaps, I made it out of the building.
*Riding the bus to Haarlem is a wonderful introduction to the Netherlands. The gray skies bring life to the greenery all around. The water mingles between the land.
*Arriving at the train station in Haarlem, I look around to find nobody. I know it is Sunday, but where are the people?
*After a much needed nap it was time for our meeting. I felt such an exhilaration. Excited to be there and explore Europe with these people that I didn't know, but they all sounded so wonderful.
*I got to know them better at an Indonesian style dinner. The rijsttafel is a brilliant idea. There couldn't be a better icebreaker compared to sharing dishes in a foreign country with soon to be friends.
Personal Connections
*My first impression of the Dutch was: they're tall! I'm fairly tall myself and it was a shock to have obstructed views. Shortly after the initial impression, my second thought was that they are very nice. I got a little turned around trying to figure out which bus to take and I was guided by a nice bus driver to the correct destination. Being the person that I am, I continued to make a mistake and she kindly reguided me.
*I didn't have any other interactions besides checking into my hotel until dinner. There seemed to be no one around. There was a small market in the square, but the rain limited the patrons.
*The treat of the night was an unexpected tour of Haarlem with a local college student. Jodi, who was also our waitress, weaved us through the quiet town to teach us about the culture of the Dutch and what day to day life was like. The most interesting aspect was discussing the benefits of their way of life, but seeing that even they cannot escape change.
Stub Hub
Receiving this in the mail must have been the most exciting day I have ever experienced. Here it was, the official itinerary for my 21 glorious days in Europe! I probably read over this document 20 times. I had family visiting right before I left, so of course I showed them. I also showed them the tour DVD so they could see the sights that I would be seeing soon. Excitement was manifested in every nerve of my body.
Each time I travel I have to carry a picture of my girl. Here you see the image that traversed across Europe with me. It turned out my tour guide also had a pug, so we had an understanding.
A new country means a new language! I have never learned a single word of Dutch before, so this cheat sheet was very helpful. One key phrase you don't see on here is "fiets." You may not know what it means, but simply mind your "feets" when you hear the word "fiets." Bikes are everywhere in the Netherlands. Watch your step or you may find yourself in a little tumble with a local.
Beyond fiets, proost was another key phrase. I'm sure you can understand why. I'm not sure what happened to this paper, but it seems like it has been on its own journey on this trip.