Highs and lows - the Netherlands search for our third musketeer

The Takeaway

We spent our final hours admiring the cozy cafes, hidden courtyard gardens, and the narrow brick facades reflecting off the canals. We left the Netherlands entirely fulfilled, reminded that while group chats preserve a connection, nothing replicates the absolute, beautiful chaos of being in the same room as your favorite people.

The conclusion is simple: buy the ticket, risk the strange licorice, and preserve the memory.

Dispatches: The Dutch Expedition

Unfortunately for us, our third musketeer decided to relocate abroad to pursue a career in architecture. She selected the land of historic windmills, Gouda cheese, and a language that sounds like someone clearing their throat- apparently the perfect backdrop to build her future. Naturally, we had no choice but to follow.

Two of us boarded a plane to reclaim our missing piece, fortunate enough to secure a local chauffeur who made navigating the terrain effortless. Once reunited with Ana, the itinerary officially began.

You cannot document a journey to the Netherlands without addressing the elephant in a coffee shop. Our welcoming driver offered a traditional Dutch greeting: local herb. As worldly women, we felt an obligation to respect local customs and partake. As it turns out, Ana has yet to master the mechanics of smoking, but we can say that all three of us officially lost our status as green virgins. We spent the evening rating local snacks and revisiting a true cinematic masterpiece: Twilight. It does not get more curated than that.

No Mercy on the Bike Lanes

The subsequent days were dedicated to architecture and exploration. Our newly expat friend proved to be a capable guide, though she faced stiff competition. Ever since our high school trip to Budapest, Tysia has possessed such a commanding tour-guide presence that any other guide feels mildly unprepared by comparison.

We curated a list of locations we all wanted to see, beginning with Den Haag (HAARGH). There, we discovered an exceptionally beautiful bookshop filled with stunning, aesthetically pleasing cover designs that begged to be taken home. Ever the journalist, Tysia conducted a swift interrogation of the staff for her upcoming YouTube feature before we went back outside to catch the golden sun. The weather was perfect, the light hit just right and the girls were, as always, flawless. Our day dissolved into a blur of coastal beaches, artisanal cookie shops, and a visit to a local wish tree, where we left our handwritten dreams hanging in the branches.

Tysia, Den Haag

Beach, Den Haag

Next on the itinerary was Utrecht, the birthplace of Miffy (Nijntje). We spent the afternoon hunting for the iconic character hidden throughout the streets, a search interrupted only by the local cats and dogs peering out from ground-floor windows. It remains a mystery how the Dutch live so unbothered in homes with completely unobstructed interior views, seemingly untroubled by the eyes of the street.

We concluded the tour in Amsterdam, injecting a dose of high culture at the Van Gogh Museum and the Rijksmuseum, admiring everything from maritime boats and historic armor to fine art. We crossed paths with Tysia’s friend, Raphael. Together, we navigated the canals, endured being called a bitch in the - how ironic - Red Light District, secured a small souvenir at Pop Mart, and did our absolute best to avoid being eliminated by local cyclists.