Amsterdam

The Netherlands are a really pleasant place to be. The quality of life is good, the people seem happy, and besides the tourist gift shops selling a plethora of keychains remarking 'I <3 Holland' there really doesn't seem to be much "junk." The food was absolutely incredible and once you leave the touristy area right by the train station I would say you could gauge the quality of a restaurant just by looking at it.

To begin: Stay in an Airbnb in Amsterdam

Food

I am such a fan of Dutch food. I can't recommend many restaurants because I was eating home cooked meals most of the time but the one restaurant you should absolutely go to is:

• Fou Fou Ramen [The best ramen I've ever had in my life. Order the tonkotsu]

Other things to try: stroopwafel, beef croquettes

Things To Do

Amsterdam is really just a nice city to chill out and walk around. It's so peaceful to just stroll around and stop at a cafe. There's of course a vibrant nightlife, especially due to the fact that recreational marijuana is legal, but I don't have any specific places to send you to. Some things I found interesting were:

• Vondelpark
• Thrift shopping
• Regalo Gallery [Cute knickknacks and jewelry]
• Walk around the canals
• Bike ride
• Check out the red light district, there's literally girls in lingerie behind glass waiting for customers.