Amsterdam

If you have ever tried to coordinate travel plans with 8 people, then you know that it is not a simple task.  Somehow, through long debate and endless online scouring- my 7 best friends in London (and myself) decided when to go to Amsterdam, how to get there, and where to stay.  With all the stress of planning behind us (and an amazing find, which allowed us to stay at a Marriott rather than a hostel), we were ready to explore Amsterdam.  My main goals were to see the Van Gogh Museum, Rembrandt's House, and the flower market.  I was not expecting to find such a gorgeous and peaceful city.  Weather.com predicted rain for the entire weekend, but when we arrived we found it to be sunny and in the  low-60s (a.k.a. perfect weather for walking outside and enjoying a cup of tea along the canals).  The flower markets were in full swing, and I learned that Amsterdam sets the global prices for tulips and other flowers.  Everyone we encountered was more than willing to help us with directions or inquiries- and they all spoke perfect English.  

The picture on the left shows me and three of my friends (from the right: Andrea, Melanie, me, Felicia) enjoying fried dough balls.  They are sort of like beignets, but even better and more doughy (if that's a word).  The stand was right outside of our hotel, and for only 1 Euro, we couldn't resist.

We also tried traditional Dutch Pannoken (pancakes/crepes).... But onto more important things.  The Van Gogh museum had a special exhibit on Van Gogh's depiction of the night- which was a treat for me as an art history major.  They had compiled all of his works depicting the night sky or landscapes at dusk.  The exhibit culminated with "The Starry Night," which was on loan from the MoMA in New York.  It was amazing to see such a complete collection from his oeuvre, and it was way better than I had even imagined.  So, naturally I bought a poster as a souvenir and then had to carry it around with me all day as we continued our adventures (That's me with my loot on the right hand side of the picture overlooking the canal).  

I would love to go back to Amsterdam in the spring time and spend more time outside- the canals are gorgeous and the city makes you want to spend the entire day outdoors just soaking up the culture and clean environment (much cleaner than the U.S., I am sad to say).