Windmills, Haarlem and the North Sea!

The final day in Amsterdam started with saying goodbye to Svenja over our favourite breakfast: the best scrambled eggs and croissant ever! The farewell afterwards was a bit rushed farewell as Matti and I had decided to spend the last day together exploring a bit beyond the city and we were going to miss our bus! 🥐 🍳 🚌

Our first stop was the Dutch windmills in Zaandam, where we saw several still in working order, including one that produces pigment used for paint, the same kind that the great masters once relied on. It was amazing to see the traditional process still alive today. ⚙️🎨

From there we went to Haarlem, a charming town with a historic center. We enjoyed a relaxed lunch before wandering through the local markets, full of fresh produce, flowers, and stalls selling everything from cheese to crafts. The highlight was visiting the Grote Kerk, Haarlem’s impressive church, with its grand architecture and rich history. ⛪️ 🥣

Next, we continued to Zandvoort on the North Sea coast. It was refreshing to see the wide sandy beach, and we finally tried kibbling, tasty little pieces of fried fish that are a Dutch classic. The water was warmer than expected, though the pigeons on the beach made the experience a bit more entertaining than relaxing. 🌊

Back in Amsterdam for the evening, we caught the tram into a new part of town we hadn’t been to before. To my surprise, we even spotted flamingoes in a small park area. We wrapped up the day with a relaxed pub meal (with the biggest menu ever-literally!) and more walking through the city back to our accommodation. 🦩🍽️

Tomorrow would be an early flight out for me, so this final day felt like the perfect balance of sightseeing and new experiences to round off the trip with friends I hope I’ll see again soon! 🤍Read more