Today, we traveled to Zaanse Schans. We had to take the tram and a train, which caused a bit of chaos. Once we finally made it, we went to a wooden clog demonstration. The Dutch have been wearing wooden clogs for hundreds and hundreds of years. It was very interesting to see the machines behind and item with rich Dutch culture. There was a gift shop with all things clogs. The way the gift shop is run is very notable. In the entire town, whenever a sale is made, the cashier asked where you are from. This is so they can match you with your tour guide so they can get a commission of the sales. This helps stimulate and encourage spending in shops.
Our next activity was a cheese making demonstration. Something that was interesting is that the cheese is left on wood to dry because the wood absorbs the water. There were many different types of cheese to try. My favorite was the smoked goat cheese. The business plan of the cheese shop is rather simple. The tasting and demonstration are free, so then people buy more cheese. This strategy suites them well, as I rarely saw anyone walk out without purchasing anything. As mentioned previously, the cashiers ask when you’re from to direct your purchase commission towards your tour guide.
Our next activity was going to the inside of a windmill. We were able to see the inner workings of the windmills. There was a pulley system that was activated by the wind. It was very interesting to see since the windmills are a main source of clean energy in Amsterdam. This is big since Amsterdam is very cautious of living sustainably. From there we went to lunch, where I ate a Dutch style pancake. It was kind of like a crepe with bacon and syrup. It was very delicious. So far, the Dutch food has yet to disappoint.
Finally, we went into a museum. We saw some more about the windmills and the layout of the town. There were a bunch of beautiful paintings on the walls. There were also a bunch of interactive elements that we got to try out. For example, we got to play a game that showed us how they produce chocolate. It was very insightful to see the quick and intricate process. This was a historical and cultural visit, with a touch of engineering when we looked at some of the machines.
The last thing I would like to mention is the the rain. It rained relentlessly the entire day, although, that did not stop the bikers. In Amsterdam, it rains about 130 days each year, so we are definitely getting the Dutch experience.
-Kali Burke