We made it! Day one in the Netherlands has felt very long, but it was definitely a good one. We started our day bright and early by departing Pitt for Boston, and then flying from Boston to Amsterdam. We arrived in Amsterdam at 6:00 a.m. local time, which was right in time to see the sunrise! After taking a train and then the metro from the airport to the hotel to drop our bags off, our chaperone Brian acquainted us with the local stores, coffee shops, and food options around our hotel. I was impressed by how smoothly the metro ran and how clean it was compared to American subway I’ve used before.

After our quick tour, Brian took us back on the metro to go to downtown Amsterdam. There we split into groups and competed in a scavenger hunt, which took us all throughout downtown Amsterdam. We spent a few hours dodging bikes and exploring narrow streets, finding places like the Basilica of Saint Nicholas, Eagle Amsterdam, the National Monument op de Dam and the Royal Palace, Magna Plaza, the Anne Frank House, Road Hoed, and finally Noordermarkt, where Brian met us. The scavenger hunt was very immersive. We got to examine the colorful Amsterdam architecture and look over the beautiful canals. Amsterdam is a very walkable city, and the bike paths and roads are well organized, so it was very easy to get around on feet. The hunt was also great because, not to brag, but our group came in first!

After finishing our scavenger hunt, we explored the city a bit more, and then hopped back on the metro to go check into the hotel. Once we got our room cards, I took a quick power nap to rejuvenate before dinner, which Brian lead us back downtown for around 7:00 p.m. Dinner consisted of a traditional Dutch dish of sausage and mashed potatoes. Besides being delicious, I was also intrigued by the portion sizes of my meal and the Fanta I got with it. Dutch meals seem to be noticeably smaller than American meals, and sugary drinks like Fanta and Coca-Cola are typically served in smaller bottles and often only in the sugar-free variant.