Today was our first day in Amsterdam! After a long flight and lots of airport snacks, we made it. We started off the day with a scavenger hunt that had a theme of The Fault In Our Stars to tie in our Pittsburgh background. We completed the scavenger hunt in the City Center, where we quickly visited the Anne Frank House, the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, and the Homomonument. I believe my team, Frank’s Foodies, finished first. After, we had a quick lunch featuring lots of pizza and then headed back to the hotel to check in.
After a quick nap, we headed to our welcome dinner at an Australian themed restaurant with our amazing guide, Raha. We took the tram and it was about a thirty minute ride. I had a kangaroo burger, and I am sad to say that I cannot eat a burger any other way. This dinner was definitely my favorite part of the day.
Immediately upon arriving to Amsterdam, I noticed a lot of differences between this and Pittsburgh. First, they are much more sustainable. They use paper cups for cold drinks much to my surprise, even in major chains such as Starbucks. They also emphasize public transportation. We rarely saw cars, and it was very bike centric. When we were leaving the airport and train stations, we saw rows and rows of bikes on top of eachother filling what looked like a parking garage. We also learned a lot about their metro, train, tram and bus systems.
The most surprising fact of the day was their fines! We learned if you pet a dog or baby without permission you get a large fine, as well as littering is a fine of 350 euros. This is a major contrast to the United States, as petting dogs and approaching babies is normalized, and there is rarely a penalty for littering.
I would say the first day was a major success, and I cannot wait for our canal cruise and Cocoa Company visit tomorrow!