Mention Holland and everyone thinks of Amsterdam, clogs and cannabis. But there’s so much more to discover and enjoy. My teacup and I visited three very different cities in The Netherlands: Rotterdam, Nijmegen and of course, Amsterdam.
Holland is one of the few countries where it’s (almost) legal to use cannabis. More than a third of visitors to Amsterdam check out a coffeeshop while in the city. Inevitably, you might find yourself considering doing the same. But does that mean you should light up?
Europe has a fabulous cafe culture. Just think of Paris where sitting at small table, sipping an espresso and watching the world go by is a thing! I love discovering great cafes when I travel. Here are some of my favourite finds.
If a city could have a personality, Rotterdam would have a killer sense of humour. If only so it could laugh at itself. The city was bombed in 1940 and rebuilt in one of the worst examples of town planning I’ve ever seen. The result is hilarious. Is this reason enough to visit Rotterdam? No. But if you’re in the area, Holland’s second-largest city is worth getting to know.
A silent disco? Before I set foot inside the gate of Music Meeting, an annual festival at Nijmegen, I’d never heard the term before. But two hours later, I was a BIG fan.
Pot, Grass, Weed, Bud, Dope, Mary Jane, THC, 420 – It doesn’t matter what you call it, cannabis is BIG business in The Netherlands. But the country isn’t the “drug haven” it’s thought to be. In fact, most assumptions made about Holland and drug use are a little off base.
Jan van Heldon was eight years old when his hometown of Nijmegen was liberated in 1944. He shared his story as he guided us through Holland’s National Liberation Museum.