A frosty morning at the canals of Utrecht after catching a ride with my mother from our hometown to her work. Utrecht is my favorite city in the Netherlands. I have to go to The Hague today to renew my passport for further travels… like… really faraway travels… You’ll see that in my other posts!

Did you know many cities in Holland other than Amsterdam also have canals? The Netherlands is more than just coffee shops, Amsterdam’s red-light district, and too many bicycles. I don’t think it’s bad for a country’s advertising to be known for these things. It’s just different.

Whenever I hitchhike with a marijuana lover and tell them I’m from the Netherlands, they automatically pass the joint. They don’t ask if I smoke, they just assume it. That’s fine.

But what was really cool this one time in Iran, was when I said I’m from the Netherlands and this lady replied with “Oh! Beautiful flowers and delicious cheese.” It was so unexpected and so wholesome.

So, add it to your list: the Netherlands is known for its legal weed shops, its legal sex work, its many bicycles, its fabulous cheese, and its tulips. And perhaps for its hilarious hitchhikers too 😉

 

Just don’t @ me with those damn wooden shoes! No, I have never worn them…