We had a pretty early start to our first day in Rotterdam. We got breakfast at the hotel and then headed to Zuiderzeemuseum, which was kind of similar to Zaanse Schans because it was a village in which the buildings were all relocated there. It is a museum dedicated to preserving the maritime and cultural history of the region. The museum consists of an indoor and outdoor portion. The outdoor museum was set up to mimic the architecture and the atmosphere around Zuiderzee. There are many different buildings that make up the outdoor museum, including a fish-smoking house, windmill, pharmacy, blacksmith, basketmaker, cheese warehouse, and more. When we first arrived at Zuiderzeemuseum, most of us went on to little row boats in the water and completed little activities that taught us about how water is sanitized. We moved on to explore the village and visit some of the buildings. One of the buildings that I thought was interesting was the fish-smoking house. Here I learned that fish with lots of intestinal content need to be cleaned first, then the fish is soaked in a brine to get a salty taste, and finally the fish used to be smoked for almost all day at 40 C. Smoking was not only important to improve the flavor of the fish, but also necessary to preserve the fish so that it could be eaten later. The drier the fish is the longer it can be stored. Here you could buy herring, salmon, or mackerel. I, however, did not try any because I am not the biggest fan of seafood.

After exploring the outdoor museum for a little while we went to get lunch inside and get a break from the intense amount of bugs outside. We all talked here for a little while, and then we walked around outside and looked at some of the many sailboats at the museum.

I didn’t get a chance to go to the indoor museum, but I know that it contains artifacts of tools, household items, clothing, and more that give a glimpse into the daily lives and traditions of people who lived in the region. It also contains exhibitions that let visitors learn about traditional crafts, maritime history, and regional costumes.

I think that this village and Zaanse Schans show how important preserving their heritage is to the Dutch people. I have never seen a museum as detailed and as historically accurate as this is in the United States. I think it is amazing to see how most of the buildings here are not just representations, but are the actual buildings that were in villages similar to this one.

We left to head back to Rotterdam around 2. On the way back to our hotel, I noticed wind turbines and solar panels on almost every farm, which I think reinforces the idea of Dutch people being highly environmentally conscious. Once we got back to Rotterdam we all headed to the Markthal, which was a massive indoor food court with two entirely glass walls. This reminded me of a more modern version of the Quincy Market in Boston. They had restaurants and stands that entailed cuisines from countries all across the world. Here I had a lamb wrap from a Turkish restaurant, and I ate possibly the best cannoli I have had in my life from an Italian place across the way.