Unfortunately, tomorrow is our last day in the Netherlands. Day eleven was a very laid back day compared to usual, which was very nice. We started our day with another traditional Dutch breakfast before walking to Dakakker, where we met our tour guide, Rob. He showed us around some of Rotterdam’s architecture, and he was able to point out areas that Rotterdam created to minimize the risk of flooding. 

Back at Dakakker, we got to see some of the vegetables and herbs the farm grows. It mostly grows edible plants and sells the produce to the local restaurants, which is super neat. They also have chickens that are so adorable! The eggs from the chickens go to the volunteers who take care of the garden; I thought this was a great way of giving back to the volunteers.

 

After seeing Dakakker, I got coffee from a local café for the first time on this trip! I got an iced vanilla latte, and it was very good. It was so cool how it was served in a paper cup, and it just goes to show how sustainability is so commonly integrated within Dutch culture. In the United States, I would always get a plastic cup, lid, and straw without thinking twice. Unfortunately, every iced latte cup I have ever had will always be on this Earth, so switching to paper is a much better alternative. 

We then started our walking tour of Rotterdam with Brian. Brian was telling us all about how Rotterdam had to essentially rebuild everything after being bombed in WWII from the Germans. He showed us the very few buildings that were able to survive the attacks and then showed us the new architecture the city has been implementing. We got to learn more about how bikes started being incorporated into Dutch life because, prior to the 1970s, the Netherlands was going to follow a car-centered model like the United States, but protests began and construction for bikes began. I was also very intrigued on the impact that American architecture had on Rotterdam. Some aspects of the architecture in Rotterdam has a clear American inspiration, which I thought was super neat. We also got to see this very cool museum that is covered by mirrors.

We then got lunch in the Markthal, one of Rotterdam’s most famous tourist attractions. I got a chicken arepa from one of the many food locations in the Markthal! We ended our time in the Markthal with a stroopwafel, and this time I got it with the traditional caramel filling! After the Markthal, we wandered around for one of the last times this trip (🥲), then called it a night.