We left Amsterdam for Rotterdam today. I woke up at 9 to pack my bags before eating breakfast and getting all of my things out of the room to the bus. Or so I thought everything…. but we will get into that later. We left for Zaanse Schans, a very small and picturesque village/farm area, at around 10-10:15.

It was quick 20 minute drive before I realized that I no longer had my wallet in my pocket. While the group went into Zaanse Schans I went through mine and my roommates bags very carefully as he was the last person to have my wallet. Having not found the wallet in any of the bags we realized that we would have to return to the hotel. However, before we went back to the hotel I was able to get a quick run through of how the Willig Company make their cheese.

They again use very sustainable methods in order to produce the cheese, for example, the rennet required to create cheese used to only be accessible through killing calves. Yet, Henri Willig found a way to get the rennet from plants, making the cheese vegetarian. Also, the Willig company do not let any part of the cheese go to waste. During the curdling process, the milk separates into whey and the curdles. While the curdles are turned into the actual cheese through the aging process, normally the whey is thrown out. The Willig company actually uses the whey to make a beer, which is then used for beer cheese. This allows them to make more cheese using less milk.

After the short demonstration, Liam, Raha, and I went back to the hotel in Amsterdam to try and find my wallet. Luckily, after shaking out the comforter on Liams bed the wallet plopped right on the floor. I actually kissed it I was so happy. We then got lunch before returning to Zaanse Schans. We left at 3 pm for Rotterdam and got to the hotel at 4:15.