Helllooooo Winter. I have never experienced such cold weather!
Stepping off the Centraal Station platform, I had no idea what to expect of the start of my trip. It would be my first time in Europe, and I was so anxious to get going!
My first day there I settled into my hostel, went and had some food and then slept for about 16 hours due to jet lag. Then I was up and ready to go on my first free walking tour. If there is anything that travelling alone has taught me, it's that walking tours are the best way to meet people, learn about the culture and the most important sites of the city you're in.
For instance, did you know that in Amsterdam, the Catholic church used to pay prostitutes extra money so that more sailors would come and confess their sins at church the next day? That is without a doubt the best thing I learnt here!
I had met a group of people from all over the world on the walking tour, who then convinced me to spend the rest of the day with them drinking and walking around the beautiful canals. Meeting such lovely people eased my anxieties very quickly, and I started to enjoy my time out much more.
The next day I was off to the biggest vintage market in the Netherlands. A quick ferry ride took me over to shop all day for clothes, furniture and yummy Dutch waffles. After the markets, I gathered my things and headed to the Rijksmuseum. The Rijksmuseum is a beautiful old building that has 4 stories of different artworks.
That night me and the group of friends I had made the other day decided it was time to head to the Red Light District. We spent hours strolling the lightly dimmed streets and ducking into a pub or two for some drinks.
For my last day, I decided to go to the A'Dam tower, which had a sky swing overlooking the city. After more food and walking, I decided to end my trip with a nighttime canal tour. I had managed to book my trip just in time for the end of a light festival in the city, which made for a beautiful send off.
The next day, I was on board the sky train to Berlin, Germany.
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