For our first day staying in Rotterdam, we actually decided to spend the day in another nearby city, taking a quick train ride to the Hague. The city is the seat of government for the Dutch and is famous for hosting the International Court of Justice, but we learned the city had much more to offer. Before we visited the location of the court, me and some friends spent the day exploring some Dutch culture and exploring the beautiful city.

When we arrived in the city, I was struck by how the city felt even more modernized than Rotterdam and Amsterdam, as the architecture and city design seemed far more reminiscent of a sleek German city than the Dutch ones we have seen so far. Further, I felt the Dutch culture in this area was much more poignant than in Amsterdam, perhaps owing to the international and tourist presence in Amsterdam. We then were given some time to explore the city on its own, so me and my group decided to try some Dutch breakfast. I have been extremely impressed by the Dutch coffee I have had so far and today was no different as I was able to enjoy an excellent cappuccino and chocolate pastry. I would say I am neutral in totality on the Dutch cuisine, as I really have enjoyed the breakfast and baked goods but have not been a large fan of the rest of the dinner options. I have had Irish and Italian cuisine in their own respective countries, and I must admit I vastly preferred those, but I also really have enjoyed the other ethnicity’s foods we have tried in the Netherlands (namely Indonesian).

We then decided to explore the city a bit, getting a chance to familiarize ourselves more with how the Dutch people live and operate when there are much less tourists around. We had the chance to try some pickled herring, a Dutch staple but definitely not my thing. I also was very impressed by some of the street art in the town, ranging from an elevated tower that I was able to get some excellent pictures of the city’s skyline from to various statues both new and old. The art scene in the Netherlands has really impressed me so far, as there seems to be a movement to push for more Dutch-oriented displays and art pieces, something I think is really indicative of the pride the Netherlands’ people have for their culture. The architecture in the Hague was also quite different in the areas of the city we visited, giving me the chance to get a few pictures of vastly different views. I feel the Dutch value art more than most American cities, and it really enhances the experience of people visiting the city when they get the chance to feel the life in a city some alive through the expression of its thinkers and creatives.

Next, we met up in front of a beautiful city fountain and waited for some excellent Indonesian food. I have never had the chance to try Indonesian prior to this trip, but I have already had it 5 times because it is so delicious! Our tour guide in Amsterdam Ian mentioned how integrated parts of Indonesia are into Dutch life, and I am very grateful an appreciation for their food is one of them. We then took a quick tram ride to the Peace Palace, the location of the International Court of Justice. Inside the visitor’s center, we learned the story of the Court and its importance in the determination of what is and is not just internationally and how this should be enforced by the worlds’ countries. As a political science major, I found it extremely interesting how the politics around the world have shaped the court as regimes have risen and fallen, and as a Pittsburgh student I loved how they integrated Andrew Carnegie’s importance to the court. I also got a chance to see an Oscar award in person, which was definitely a first for me. The grounds looked absolutely stunning, although we unfortunately could not tour the palace itself. Nonetheless I appreciated this chance to see somewhere with such relevance to my major and interests. We then took a quick trip to a nearby beach (something I never expected in the Netherlands) and it was extremely cold. I have really enjoyed how public transit has allowed us so much more freedom of movement from place to place on this trip, and I genuinely believe it totally reshapes European life when compared to the US. We need to put focus on increasing city walkability and public transit, as it opens up movement and city exploration so heavily!