European Trip - The Netherlands
- Jan 6
- 8 min read
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Nov 29/30, 2025
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Flying was tough for me because I'm scared of it, especially when we're over the ocean. We rented a car in The Netherlands and planned to do the same in Austria, but in Paris, we'll mostly walk and take the metro. When we arrived, we were super tired from the overnight flight and the six-hour time difference. My son knocked out right away and missed dinner, while my daughter took a nap and ate later. We all eventually went to bed at a decent hour, we as in they.
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On our first night, my husband, our youngest, and I checked out a small grocery store. It was tiny but had fresh produce and good stuff. I'm usually gluten intolerant, but I was surprised I could eat bread here without feeling sick, though I did get a bit constipated, probably from the change in diet, not drinking enough, and all the excitement. All the walking made me even more tired.
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After shopping, I whipped up dinner in our Airbnb's awesome kitchen. We were all beat, and only a few of us ended up eating the pasta I made. Even though I was tired, I stayed up late scrolling through Facebook, thinking about the day and enjoying family time. Eventually, I gave in and went to sleep, ready for more adventures.
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Dec 1st, 2025 - Utrecht
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We slept in late the next morning to recover from the previous day's adventures. At first, we thought about heading to Belgium, but we were too tired for the long drive. So, we decided to check out the nearby town of Utrecht, famous for its cool mix of indoor and outdoor shopping. The city was super charming with beautiful buildings and old churches. When we got there, we hit up a cute waffle shop. Two of my kids and I had waffles with all sorts of toppings, while my daughter went for mini pancakes, which ended up being the favorite. We washed it all down with cappuccinos and some refreshing bottled Lipton green tea (which tastes so different, yet better, than America's).
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We spent the day wandering around the lively mall and stopped by the Lego store, which I liked even though we didn’t buy anything. My kids were curious about the local McDonald's and found some menu items that were different from what we have at home. They noticed things like the color of the Fanta and the fry sauce, which I thought tasted a bit like tartar sauce.
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As the day wrapped up, we headed back to our place. The kids freshened up and watched movies like "Freaky Friday" and "10 Things I Hate About You." I stayed up late scrolling through Facebook, losing track of time like we all do sometimes.
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Dec 2nd, 2025 - Amsterdam
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This day, we had a fun day trip to Amsterdam. We left around lunchtime and got to the city center after a nice 45-minute drive through the beautiful Dutch countryside. We parked by the Science Museum, but the parking fee was surprisingly steep at 45 euros for just a few hours. If you're looking to save some cash, I'd suggest parking on the outskirts of the city, where it's only about 5 euros, and you can catch a shuttle to the city center.
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After parking, we made our way to the lively central train station, the perfect kick-off spot for our adventures. Our first stop was this cute souvenir shop where we picked up some magnets and a couple of tiny snow globes. Then we strolled over to a big open area in front of a stunning old palace, taking in its amazing architecture. There was a guy tossing bird seeds around, and soon a bunch of pigeons showed up. People were holding out their hands with seeds, and the pigeons would land on them, making for a pretty fun scene. I passed on feeding the birds, but my daughters tried to get them to come closer by crouching down and holding out their hands. Even though the birds stayed just out of reach, we all had a good laugh, and it was a great display of their adventurous spirits.
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After checking out all the Christmas decorations, we decided to take a break and try some local snacks. We stumbled upon this cute bakery, and the smell of fresh pastries was just too tempting. I couldn't resist an almond croissant. After we ordered, we found a nice spot near a beautiful church by the Anne Frank house. The church's spires and stained glass made for a peaceful picnic setting. The almond croissant was amazing, with its crispy layers and rich almond filling. My kids loved their chocolate croissants, and my husband savored his classic croissant, all showing off the bakery's top-notch skills.
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We had plans to check out the Anne Frank house, a really important historical spot, but we had some time to kill before our entry. You have to book specific time slots there to keep the experience personal. While waiting, my husband and kids wandered around a nearby church, and I hung out in the corridor to stay warm. The church was free to get into, unlike some others that charge unless it's Sunday. Then my family hit up a nearby bakery for some local pastries and warm drinks.
I decided to visit Grey Matter, a coffeehouse famous for its cannabis, which I found recommended online. It's a spot even celebrities like Willie Nelson and Snoop Dogg have been to. The place had a cozy vibe, and the staff really knew their stuff, making it a fun visit. I picked up three pre-rolled joints to enjoy while in the Netherlands, since cannabis is illegal back in France (Though I found that out after buying them).
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Later, I headed back to the entrance of the Anne Frank museum, excited for our tour. The museum gave a really moving look into Anne Frank's life, with original items and stories from her perspective, and stories from others that knew her. Even videos of her dad telling his story. It was an experience I'll never forget. I ended up buying two books and a magnet, really appreciating the historical insights. I've always found history fascinating because it shapes our present.
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We wandered around until we randomly picked a spot for dinner. I had a tasty gyro, though it was a bit different from what I'm used to. The kids were tired and cold, which led to some bickering. Our last thing to do in Amsterdam was the light festival boat tour. I really enjoyed the boat ride, the light sculptures, and the city lights, but the kids weren't too interested. Some loud passengers were being disruptive, but after a woman and the boat driver spoke up, they quieted down. I liked the meaningful themes of the light sculptures, even though they weren't Christmas-themed. Before we docked, the driver asked everyone to stay seated, but some people didn't listen. I'm still in shock that parking ended up costing 45 euros. Once we got back to the house, we showered and watched "The Holiday." I went to bed but couldn't fall asleep, so I ended up scrolling through Facebook until 2-3 am.
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Dec 3rd, 2025 - Duiven
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Side Note
Back in 2017-18, I met this amazing woman while playing Yahtzee. We chatted a lot during our games, and eventually, we swapped phone numbers. She told me she lived in The Netherlands, but I never thought I'd actually meet her in person. Turns out, I was wrong!
In the summer of 2019, I was in Germany for my two-week military annual tour. A couple of female friends of mine, who are also coworkers, and I decided to meet up with her in Amsterdam for the weekend. It was during gay pride week, and the whole experience was just incredible.
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Back to the Story
Today, my family and I hung out with her family, and we're planning to see them again tomorrow. Even though there's a bit of a language gap—her kids speak a little English, and we don't know Dutch—we got along really well. We picked up some Dutch words, and the kids got better at English. These past couple of days have been awesome, and I can't wait for our next get-together, just enjoying each other's company.
We met at their place today, got an awesome "care package" of local snacks, and had a tasty lunch. We checked out Intratuin Duiven, this huge garden center with an amazing Christmas setup, and spent hours wandering around. The kids loved the fun indoor/outdoor playground. We hung out at their place until around 8:30-9 pm, for a few hours.
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This evening, I tried a pre-rolled joint from Amsterdam, and it was amazing. The quality of cannabis here is way better than what I've had in America. The smell and effects took me back to my teenage years, giving me a real and genuine experience. Amsterdam's cannabis scene really respects the traditional strains and keeps the plant's essence, which you can feel in every puff. This experience made me appreciate the art of growing cannabis here even more.
The weed was stronger than I expected, making it feel like the bushes and trees were moving. I heard some noises, which turned out to be my son whistling inside. It's 12:20 am, and my twins and husband are still up, unable to sleep. And of course, so am I.
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Dec 4th 2025 - Gouda
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Today, we hung out with my friend and her family in Gouda, Netherlands, where Gouda cheese comes from. I found out we've been saying it wrong in the U.S.; it’s pronounced like "howda" with a throat-clearing "H." After days of gray skies and drizzle, we finally got some sun with just a light sprinkle. We met up around 11:30 at a parking lot outside the city center, which was a decent deal at 10 euros for the day. We kicked off our adventure with some fresh stroopwafels, which were different but just as tasty as the packaged ones. We hit up a cheese shop where I snagged some beer cheese and a magnet, and learned that traditional mills aren’t called windmills; only the big metal ones are. The kids had fun at a park, and we grabbed some smoothie-like juices on sale at a grocery store. At the Lego store, I picked up a cool Gouda cheese seller figure. We had lunch at a spot in the center square, where I enjoyed a cheese trio and tomato soup. My daughter, who said she wasn’t hungry, ended up eating a lot. We also checked out a cheese store owned by my friend’s husband’s stepdad and mom, tasted local cheeses, chocolates, and cannolis, then said our goodbyes. Our families really clicked and had a great time together.
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Tomorrow, we’re leaving the Netherlands. Right now, I’m chilling on the sauna’s outside bench, finishing off the rest of the weed, since I can't take it with me to France.
Lesson learned: always read rental descriptions. We unexpectedly shelled out 80 euros for hot tub and sauna use because they weren’t included on the price of our stay. Even though the place was beautiful, I wouldn’t stay there again because of the extra costs.
I’m munching on an almond pastry I got yesterday, and I’ve noticed I don’t feel as bad eating gluten here as I do back home. The cheese causes a bit of bloating, but it’s no big deal. It’s awesome to enjoy tasty food without feeling uncomfortable. Why wasn’t I born in Europe?
We had an amazing time in The Netherlands.
MORE PICTURES TO COME!
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