It's been a bit more than five years since I first set foot on The Netherlands. It was a rainy November day, I had gone to Amsterdam for a day with some friends and I was quite disappointed as I didn't really like the city. I didn't dislike it either, but after having heard so many people talking wonders about the Dutch capital I was somehow expecting more. Maybe it was the bad weather, maybe it was the apparent chaos to be found everywhere, maybe it was its vague resemblance to Bruges or maybe it was just the fact that I was following someone not paying much attention and after an hour of walking I had the impression that I was walking along the same canal for the fifth time. Whatever the reason, I wasn't taken on by the many Dutch charms the first time and the thought of exploring more of the The Netherlands didn't cross my mind for a long while. I did, however, go back to Amsterdam for the Queen's Day and although I had a superb time it didn't change my mind about the city but I began to feel curious about this little country that could go totally mad to celebrate the queen's birthday (not the current queen, but her mother's or grandmother's) So, one thing led to another and before moving to Maastricht I had already been two or three times holidaying in The Netherlands. And at some point, subtly but surely I fell in love with the country. I learnt to love the sometimes monotonous landscapes, I began to appreciate the Dutch gezelligheid, I fit into their relaxed way of life and I was thirsty of knowledge about the rich Dutch heritage and culture.
It's been a bit more than five years since I first set foot on The Netherlands. Ever since I've travelled quite extensively around the country, I've discovered many beautifu places which I would love to visit again sometime and there are still some others which I'm looking forward to going to someday in the near future. So far, my been-there list is quite amazing! Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Maastricht, Utretch, Nijmegen, Den Bosch, Tilburg, Eindhoven, Groningen, Leeuwarden, Workum, Hindeloopen, Haarlem, Zandvoort aan Zee, Bloemendaal aan Zee, Edam, Volendam, Bergen op Zoom, Groesbeek, Zeist, Valkenburg and Heerlen. Not bad for a country I was never passionate about! And I'm still hungry for more. I don't know how long I'll stay in Maastricht but there are a couple of places I really have to see before leaving, so this is my to-do list for The Netherlands.
THE NETHERLANDS' to do list
THE NETHERLANDS' to do list
- Seeing the Rijksmuseum and the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam (and showing Amsterdam to my boyfriend, who's never actually seen it!)
- Visiting the Keukenhof tulip fields. A must for this spring!
- Leiden and Delft, two iconic cities I haven't been to yet.
- Going for a weekend to the Waddeneilanden. Texel and the Frisian Islands seem like the perfect destination to enjoy a nice rest amid the nature.