Today was very easygoing and fun compared to what we have been doing so far. we woke up at around 9 am and packed everything up to prepare to leave Amsterdam and go to Rotterdam. Once we ate breakfast, we got on the bus and made our way to our site visit that was scheduled before we left for Rotterdam.
The windmill farm we visited was very interesting. It had so much going on and was extremely beautiful. Not only were there many large windmills, but there were also all kinds of animals around the area including sheep and many cool-looking birds. After soaking in the scenery for a bit, we made our way to the cheese store where we were quickly briefed on how the cheese is created and then let loose in the store to taste and buy all types of cheeses. Although not entirely related to the lesson we learned from the cheese makers themselves, the biggest takeaway I had from the cheese store was how they were able to upcharge so much. In the city of Amsterdam, there were many locations of the exact same cheese shop that were selling cheeses at nearly half the price of what we found at the windmill farm. I just thought it was interesting how they use demand and the whole farm experience to drive their prices that much higher and likely sell even more than the locations within the city. The shop’s ability to leverage demand although not the intent of the lesson, reminded me of some of the lessons I learned throughout this year at Pitt.
After experiencing the farm and a side quest involving a missing wallet, we got on the bus and made our way to Rotterdam which was about an hour’s trip. When arriving in Rotterdam, it is immediately noticeable that the city os much more modern than Amsterdam. There are skyscrapers, man-made parks, and less old architecture. We haven’t walked around the city too much yet, but I am excited to compare and contrast the differences in Rotterdam and Amsterdam as I said before I have already seen some physical differences, and I’ve heard there is a difference in culture.
Overall today was a transition day. We got to see the beautiful windmill farm, learn about the cheese-making process, and lots more. I can’t wait to get out tomorrow and explore more of Rotterdam and what it has to offer!
