After breakfast and checking out at the A & O hostel, we took a bus ride over the Watersnoodmuseum. Upon arriving at this museum, we were able to learn about the history of the flood of 1953 and how they overcame it. There were a lot of stories of people whose loved ones were lost and also those who survived when these flood levels rose immensely at such a fast speed. Seeing artifacts from these people was surreal to see real aspects from such a scary event. The museum was also located on the dike which is very cool being able to physically be in such a significant location in history. We learned a lot about this dike after the flood, like how they had to fill it with heavy sandbags after the flood, the reconstruction process and how we can implement projects in the future to prevent this tragic event from happening again. Another thing I appreciate about the museum is how at the end they try and educate people about water safety and just try and bring awareness to an issue that not everyone may realize. When exiting the museum, there were amazing views of open fields and a beautiful body of water. All of the nature, cows and boats I was able to see makes me appreciate the culture here even more because I love the outdoors. The great view was the cherry on top of the museum.

Our next stop was only a short thirty minute ride away to Delta Works. Delta Works created piers that prevent flooding along with having a water park, aquarium, boat tours and an educational section. We first went into a simulation of the flood of 1953 that replicated a family experiencing this tragic event. It was very cool to feel like I was in the experience, while it was a sad story. We then got a tour and learned all about the process they did to create the storm surge barrier and piers and how they currently operate. While there was always flooding here, after the storm in 1953, they built these structures in order to prevent something horrible like this from happening again. They test the dropping of the piers frequently, taking a little over an hour to drop each. From a business perspective, it is interesting to see how they have all these elements like the water park and aquarium in order to make money, while still being able to protect from flooding and educate people about this issue. Then we took a boat tour around the North Sea where we got to see the barriers and bridge closer up while also getting a look at the many windmills. Seeing up close what we have learned gives a deeper appreciation to it. I loved how the activists today were connected, taught me so much about a topic I didn’t know about and showed me a part of Amsterdam we have not explored yet.