Netherlands - First Impressions of Amsterdam

🇳🇱 Netherlands - First Impressions of Amsterdam
Since this cruise departs from Rotterdam, and I’ve never been to the Netherlands before, I decided to fly in from South America and spend two extra days exploring. My friend, on the other hand, flew in from Hong Kong and arrived in the Netherlands the day before the cruise departure to meet up with me.
I want to give a special shoutout to our amazing friends who helped take care of my friend all the way from Hong Kong to the Netherlands 🥹. Even though I had prepared all the necessary information and even made a bilingual conversation guide, my friend was still worried about getting lost while flying alone. Thankfully, with everyone’s help, my friend was able to meet up with me smoothly.
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✈️ My One-Day Amsterdam Adventure
As soon as I landed, I stored my luggage at AMS Airport (9€/24hr per item). As expected from Europe’s third-largest airport, it offers all the services you could need, and transportation is super convenient. Right outside the airport, I found the cheapest AH supermarket, where you can get delicious microwaveable pasta for just 2 euros—a true lifesaver for backpackers 😁. It was surprisingly tasty, and the variety of food rivals Hong Kong’s 7-11. I absolutely loved it.
Initially, I planned to spend the night at the airport to save money, but the public area outside the restricted zone was too noisy, and I was exhausted after the long flight (back in my 20s, I could stay up all night and keep playing 😂). In the end, I booked the cheapest hostel at the last minute and luckily found a bed for 18€.
Every Dutch backpacker I’ve met has complained about how bad the weather is in their country, but I was incredibly lucky to experience no rain in Amsterdam. The streets and alleys were filled with flowers, and I fell in love instantly ❤️.
With limited time, I decided to casually stroll around the city center and then visit Zaanse Schans to see the windmill village and soak in the Dutch atmosphere. As for the major museums, I’ll save those for my next visit.

Post by Michael1104 | Aug 19, 2025