Amsterdam

In the first week after arriving in Europe and settling down, we went to beautiful Amsterdam in the Netherlands and two surrounding villages.
Because it was our first trip out, many parts of the itinerary were poorly arranged, and the cost was relatively high. It was about 450 euros per person. By comparison, the Paris trip a week later only cost 300 euros, and the experience was even better.
I think the Netherlands is absolutely the best place to enjoy Northern European countryside scenery.

The people on this trip were: zfn, lxf, lsd, zjz (Director Zhang), and me.

Day One: Settling in Giethoorn

Most of the first day was spent on the road. Because Director Zhang lived in Leuven, we chose to gather in Brussels. Since it was our first trip, we missed one train in the middle, and also began the first sprint of this trip: to help Director Zhang catch the train, three people ran wildly on the platform carrying luggage. Considering the later runs to catch the schedule, this sprint can only count as an appetizer.
The lesson learned is: arrange itineraries according to your actual capacity, and do not be too confident in yourself or your teammates.
Because a lot of time was wasted in train stations and waiting for people along the way, we did not arrive at the booked homestay in Giethoorn until 11 p.m. The final homestay was a 10-minute drive from the town. There were five of us, so taking a taxi was inconvenient. In the end we called a seven-seat car. The driver was also rather hot-tempered and seemed somewhat unhappy that we changed cars. He drove quite aggressively, and everyone got carsick. Although the ride was bumpy, once we arrived at the homestay, everything felt worth it.

First of all, the hostess of the house was super nice. After arriving at this remote, middle-of-nowhere place, I got out of the car first and started chatting with the hostess. Because her lower abdomen looked a bit large, I very kindly asked whether she was pregnant. I had intended to get closer to the hostess. Unexpectedly, she replied no, no, she already had three boys. The atmosphere instantly became very awkward. But the hostess did not mind and continued happily hosting us.

Here, I saw the Milky Way for the first time in many years, and was even lucky enough to see a meteor. That also shows how remote this place was. We were as happy as a group of children, watching the Milky Way in the backyard for more than an hour. The Milky Way was so beautiful that a starry sky like this made us cry out in amazement. Since probably elementary school, I had never again seen the Milky Way with my own eyes. That is enough to forgive my excitement. The sky was exceptionally clear, and the Milky Way and all the constellations were plainly visible. The longer we stayed outside, the more our eyes adapted to the light, and the more beautiful the starry sky became. The white moon also appeared on the horizon, but did not compete with the Milky Way, so the Milky Way was clearly visible like a belt of milk. No wonder it is called the Milky Way. Because photos could not capture the effect of the Milky Way, only by seeing it with the naked eye could one feel the shock and beauty.

Day Two: Amsterdam

High-altitude swing.
Boat tour.
Market.
Beer museum.
Shopping.
Seafood feast.
Red-light district.

Day Three: Windmill Village

Windmill Village.
Van Gogh Museum.

FlixBus.