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A Surprising Destination

Cristian Gutierrez
 May 2, 2015

It was only last week that 4 of my best friends on the program and I (we also refer to ourselves as a boy band) decided to make the trip to Amsterdam. I'll be honest I didn't know much about Amsterdam before the weekend except for its lenience over certain moral issues but after the weekend it became one of my favorite places in Europe.

I was pleasantly surprised upon arriving at the sheer beauty of the city and its architecture. Houses, offices, and restaurants were all lined up on along the never ending majestic canals Amsterdam has to offer. Whenever I would think of a European city when I was younger, I would think of canals and stoned paved roads. Needless to say Amsterdam offered all of the above and more. In fact probably the most European characteristic of the city was the use of cruiser bikes, everyone rides a bike there and I mean everyone.  Naturally the "boy band" decided to cruise throughout the city and it was honestly my favorite part of the weekend. It was such a magical feeling to be weaving through traffic and then suddenly navigating through the canals in search of pancakes. Yes, the pancakes were delicious because I know you were wondering . 
 
Aside from the magic, Amsterdam has plenty of museums to offer tourists. I was lucky enough to attend both the Van Gogh and Anne Frank museums. The two were completely different experiences but both were extraordinary. We almost decided to not visit the Anne Frank house because the line was 2hr and 30min long and the weather was the least bit pleasant, but we stuck it out. I'm glad we did and I encourage everyone to visit because it is one of the most powerful experiences one can come across. 

Amsterdam left me enchanted and I left realizing that there is so much more that reaches the eye in this fine city. It's a place for any tourist, so if you're backpacking around Europe or simply in search of your next destination don't hesitate to book Amsterdam, you won't be disappointed.

 

 

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Cristian Gutierrez

<p>Born and raised under the bright lights of Chicago, I was under the influence that I had seen it all. After my first trip abroad I was hooked, and I realized I couldn&rsquo;t of been more wrong. With a thirst for adventure I&rsquo;ve set out to explore the unknown during my summers off from school. My travels have taken me from ancient pyramids in Mexico to remote rainforests in Costa Rica, and now Spain is next up on the destination list. I can&rsquo;t wait for my time abroad and here I plan to document all valuable experiences and insights about my journey in Spain. Hala Madrid!&nbsp;</p>

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