- The Anne Frank house tour--This was so moving and so well done. They give you audio guides so you can hear the whole story and move from room to room all the way up to their hiding spaces. It's amazing to think about how quiet they had to be, and that the church bells I heard ringing were the same ones Anne wrote about in her diary.
- The Van Gogh museum--I have seen Van Gogh here and there over the years. But seeing over 100 of his works and learning about his life story was so cool. I especially loved the paintings he made towards the end of his life. You can see the things he was struggling with in his work.
- Biking--I went biking two times--in Leiden and near the tulip gardens. It was an adventure finding my own way and trying not to get lost and it was so nice to get away from crowds. And the flowers were amazing.
- City walking tour--I did a guided tour of the city and learned a lot of cool things about the history of the city.
Ended the tour with some authentic dutch food and a Heineken of course.
- Honestly, just doing everything I normally do with someone else was a highlight. Eating at restaurants, going to museums and the orchestra, doing wine and cheese tasting, doing a canal cruise. It was all a lesson that no one gives a crap if you're alone. No one looked at me like I was a weirdo for being alone and it made me more present in each moment. That may be why my week away felt like much longer--because I was present the whole time.
So go out and adventure! See the world. It is pretty damn cool.
