Today we first visited the Zuiderzeemuseum, a town that preserves the culture of the Zuiderzee region. It included historically accurate buildings that would have been found in the town over a hundred years ago, such as an apothecary, sweet shop, and post office. To make the experience even more immersive, there were also actors who pretended to live as if they existed in Zuiderzee a hundred years ago. I learned that they were not allowed to break character at all, which included speaking English. However, an actor playing a wood carver was kind enough to explain the history of the place and the role that he played to a friend and me. Later, I also got to have a discussion with the postmaster, who explained how postage worked at the time and taught me about other means of communication, such as telegrams. He also talked about family life, access to electricity, and gender roles during this time. Overall, the experience of visiting the Zuiderzeemuseum was engaging and peaceful, as I got to witness what life was like during a seemingly simpler time.

Next, we took the rest of the day to explore more of Rotterdam. We visited the infamous Markthal Hall, which contained cuisines from all over the world all under one roof. The choices felt overwhelming, but I ended up having the perfect meal, and I am looking forward to go back and try more. After getting dinner there, we walked along the water and then watched the sunset at EuroMast, a tall vantage point that overlooks the entire city. This was the perfect way to end the day and capture a great view of Rotterdam.

So far, this city feels significantly different from Amsterdam, but I am still enjoying it. I am excited to venture out tomorrow and see even more sights here.