Holland - From Wassenaar, Den Haag, Amsterdam, to Haarlem

When we started to plan our trip to the Netherlands, we had no idea how much of the country we would actually get to see. We arrived in Rotterdam, where Marjolijn picked us up in her brand new car (a rare privilege in bicycle country). Marjolijn is a long-time friend from Egypt; we overlapped in Egypt our 7th and 8th grade years, but have also managed to see each other in South Africa, UAE, and Holland on a few occasions. It was weird to realize how long it has been since last seeing each other (over 6 years) and how easily it can feel so normal again.

She took us to Wassenaar, where her parents now own a gorgeous house. They live in a beautiful area, on the coast and near the royal family. We spent the weekend there with her family - they were the perfect host! We ate delicious food, did laundry, and even had our own guesthouse. We spent most of our time in the kitchen, catching up on life, playing cards, and drinking lots of tea and coffee. It was wonderful to meet Marjolijn's boyfriend, hear about her/their time with the Navigators, her new job, and her future plans.

We also spent a day in The Haag with Stephanie and Justine - more friends from Egypt! So weird to see your friends' younger siblings grow up and go to college. Friends age with you but friends siblings growing up can sometimes make you feel old. :) But it was wonderful to sit around and talk about Egypt (old and new), work, transitioning to your "home" culture, and marriage. We also got an excellent guided tour of the city, saw the international court of justice and learned why The Haag is a small, but important city.

We spent the early part of the week in Amsterdam, slowing down a bit and catching up on sleep. It may have been the second-hand smoke, but more likely the rainy day that forced us to stay in and relax more (our first rainy day yet). We visited the Anne Frank House, walked through the flower market, sampled amazing cheeses at the local cheese store, shopped in the open-air market, went on a canal cruise, and ate pancakes/waffles every chance we had!

We also took a day trip to Haarlem, a small town near the coast. We saw our first stereotypical Dutch windmill and the Corrie Ten Boom house, hiding place, and jeweler. Nick enjoyed one of the most common Dutch snacks - french fries with mayonnaise. I know we live in the States, but we can't help but think we were made for the food over here (especially Nick)! We sat in cafes, played cards, drank coffee, and enjoyed our time immensely.

Now we are headed to Germany to spend some time with Kelly and Erin, youth leaders from Egypt, and John, a high school friend.



P.S. We miss all of you and are thinking and dreaming about the next times we can see everyone!