Netherlands Archives - Adventures with Shelby

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Sunday's snow was a bit of a letdown - I couldn't believe how fast it melted Monday!! Throwback to the first snow or 2022 ❄

adventureswithshelby

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Rotterdam is a major port city in the Netherlands. I knew close to nothing about this city prior to visiting during my Vacances de Toussaint in 2016. I enjoyed the city so much, I revisited just three months later! I decided to visit Rotterdam because it was right in between Antwerp and Amsterdam! As it turns out, this city is extremely young with impressive modern architecture!

Rotterdam was bombed during World War II and nearly the entire city was destroyed. There is an incredibly moving statue beside the Maritime Museum, by Ossip Zadkine, named “The Destroyed City.” He said that when he arrived to Rotterdam after the war and saw the devastation that remained, he was inspired to make this statue. The monument resembles a distressed figure missing its core. I love that he chose to portray it this way.

Rotterdam - The Destroyed City | Adventures with Shelby

After the devestation of WWII, Rotterdam was nearly completely rebuilt! Now, Rotterdam is well-known for its bold architecture and modern style! I loved seeing the traditional Dutch architecture mixed with modern throughout the city.

Rotterdam, Netherlands | Adventures with Shelby

Below are some of my favorite highlights of the city:

Erasmusbrug

This bridge connects the northern and southern parts of Rotterdam. The second largest bridge in the Netherlands, Erasmusbrug is actually named for the Dutch Philosopher Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus. The bridge has been nicknamed De Zwaan (The Swan) due to its asymmetric pylon.

Het Park

Southwest of the Erasmus Bridge, following the river (can you tell I used this bridge as my point of reference during my stay?), is the beautiful Het Park. I spent a couple hours meandering around this park during the morning. There are several ponds scattered around, and lots of people riding bikes, picnicking, or walking through.

The Euromast tower is right at the edge of the park. The ride up the tower is definitely overpriced for the amount of time you’ll spend there, however the view was pretty incredible. It was a bit foggy when I went up, but even with the fog I was amazed! Before you go up the top of the tower there is a section for walking around in the middle. The near see-through stairs had me second guessing my comfort with heights! But the top of the tower is completely sealed. There is a bench to sit around and there is a recording that identifies the different parts of the city that you are viewing as it rotates and elevates. This would be an AMAZING place to watch the sunset.

View from Euromast Tower | Adventures with Shelby

Markthal

Centrum is the main part of Rotterdam, located north of the river. There are several really amazing things to see in the center of city. Markthal is pretty hard to miss. This giant horseshoe is an office and residential building with a market inside.

Centrum Rotterdam | Adventures with Shelby

At night, the stunning ceiling design is lit up. The ceiling is titled the ‘Horn of Plenty’ by Arno Coenen and Iris Roskam. The 3D digital design was broken up into 4,000 pieces and printed on aluminum panels! Some call it the Sistine Chapel of Rotterdam.

Markthal Rotterdam | Adventures with Shelby

The market has roughly 100 fresh food stands inside, along with restaurants and other stands. It’s generally open between 10:00am – 8:00pm, with a little variation on the weekends. You can try samples as you browse, which is always my favorite!

Two things you absolutely must try: De Rotterdamsche Oude cheese and Stroopwafels. The cheese vendors all offer samples and will explain the differences between the lengths of aging. I tried the same cheese aged three different lengths of time and they have totally different tastes!

Stroopwafels are a Dutch classic – two thin cookies sandwiched by caramel or syrup. You can get FRESH stroopwafel, warm and gooey, in Markthal. Absolutely lifechanging!

Kijk-Kubus

Kijk-kubus, or the cube houses, are houses designed by Peit Blom in the Netherlands. These crazy little cube homes exist in Rotterdam and in Helmond. The design is supposed to represent a village within a city – with the houses representing trees.

Living as an urban roof

The complex contains 38 cube houses. Surprisingly, the houses each contain three floors and roughly 1,100 square feet of space! The courtyard area is open for the public to walk through. One of the cubes is a hostel and another has been set up as a “show cube” so visitors can see what the inside looks like.

Cube Houses in Rotterdam | Adventures with Shelby

Oude Haven

Just between Markthal and the Nieuwe Maas river sits Oude Haven, or the Old Port. There are tons of waterfront restaurants to enjoy a drink and take in the view of the beautiful old ships.

It was a bit too cold for outdoor seating when I visited. However, just before I stopped into a restaurant to warm up I saw the goofiest thing ever – the “Hot Tug”! A group of men were in a little hot-tub-turned-tug-boat cruising along Oude Haven!!

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is a must-visit when in Rotterdam. The museum opened in 1849 and includes a massive collection ranging from medieval to contemporary art.

Naturally, the museum focuses a lot on Dutch art however the permanent exhibit includes well-known artists from other regions including Monet, Cézanne, and Dalí.

Rotterdam was such a pleasant surprise! I highly recommend visiting – it is an easy trip from Amsterdam or Antwerp!

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XoXo

4 hours ago

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1/9

Running in the winter usually means running in the dark but sometimes you can catch a crazy sunset like this! 🌅
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#igdc #theotherdc #navyyard #wheretofindme #mytinyatlas #washmagphoto #washingtondc #anacostiariverwalk #walkwithlocals #girlsthatwander #waterfront #mydccool #sidewalkerdaily #theprettydistrict #sunset

adventureswithshelby

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Below are some of my favorite highlights of the city:

Erasmusbrug

Het Park

Markthal

Stroopwafels are a Dutch classic – two thin cookies sandwiched by caramel or syrup. You can get FRESH stroopwafel, warm and gooey, in Markthal. Absolutely lifechanging!

Kijk-Kubus

Living as an urban roof

Oude Haven

Just between Markthal and the Nieuwe Maas river sits Oude Haven, or the Old Port. There are tons of waterfront restaurants to enjoy a drink and take in the view of the beautiful old ships.

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is a must-visit when in Rotterdam. The museum opened in 1849 and includes a massive collection ranging from medieval to contemporary art.

Naturally, the museum focuses a lot on Dutch art however the permanent exhibit includes well-known artists from other regions including Monet, Cézanne, and Dalí.

Rotterdam was such a pleasant surprise! I highly recommend visiting – it is an easy trip from Amsterdam or Antwerp!

Pin it:

XoXo

5 days ago

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2/9

Visited the Library of Congress for the first time today! Such a beautiful building and super cool to see Thomas Jefferson's book collection 📚 Sometimes it's fun to be a tourist in your own town!
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#igdc #washmagphoto #theotherdc #mydccool #libraryofcongress #dcfocused #moretoexplore #mytinyatlas #theprettydistrict #tourist #wanderlust

adventureswithshelby

•

Below are some of my favorite highlights of the city:

Erasmusbrug

Het Park

Markthal

Stroopwafels are a Dutch classic – two thin cookies sandwiched by caramel or syrup. You can get FRESH stroopwafel, warm and gooey, in Markthal. Absolutely lifechanging!

Kijk-Kubus

Living as an urban roof

Oude Haven

Just between Markthal and the Nieuwe Maas river sits Oude Haven, or the Old Port. There are tons of waterfront restaurants to enjoy a drink and take in the view of the beautiful old ships.

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is a must-visit when in Rotterdam. The museum opened in 1849 and includes a massive collection ranging from medieval to contemporary art.

Naturally, the museum focuses a lot on Dutch art however the permanent exhibit includes well-known artists from other regions including Monet, Cézanne, and Dalí.

Rotterdam was such a pleasant surprise! I highly recommend visiting – it is an easy trip from Amsterdam or Antwerp!

Pin it:

XoXo

2 weeks ago

View on Instagram |

3/9

Are you guys ready for more snow!? ❄ I feel like a little kid ready to wear my PJ's inside out and flush some ice cubes!

adventureswithshelby

•

Below are some of my favorite highlights of the city:

Erasmusbrug

Het Park

Markthal

Stroopwafels are a Dutch classic – two thin cookies sandwiched by caramel or syrup. You can get FRESH stroopwafel, warm and gooey, in Markthal. Absolutely lifechanging!

Kijk-Kubus

Living as an urban roof

Oude Haven

Just between Markthal and the Nieuwe Maas river sits Oude Haven, or the Old Port. There are tons of waterfront restaurants to enjoy a drink and take in the view of the beautiful old ships.

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is a must-visit when in Rotterdam. The museum opened in 1849 and includes a massive collection ranging from medieval to contemporary art.

Naturally, the museum focuses a lot on Dutch art however the permanent exhibit includes well-known artists from other regions including Monet, Cézanne, and Dalí.

Rotterdam was such a pleasant surprise! I highly recommend visiting – it is an easy trip from Amsterdam or Antwerp!

Pin it:

XoXo

2 weeks ago

View on Instagram |

4/9

What a crazy fun snow day to start off 2022!! Snow ball fights, sledding, and a whole lot of joy ❄☃️
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#igdc #washmagphoto #walkwithlocals #snowday #mydccool #washingtonian #capitolhill #wheretofindme #winterwonderland #girlsthatwander #mytinyatlas #dcfocused #theprettydistrict #theotherdc

adventureswithshelby

•

Below are some of my favorite highlights of the city:

Erasmusbrug

Het Park

Markthal

Stroopwafels are a Dutch classic – two thin cookies sandwiched by caramel or syrup. You can get FRESH stroopwafel, warm and gooey, in Markthal. Absolutely lifechanging!

Kijk-Kubus

Living as an urban roof

Oude Haven

Just between Markthal and the Nieuwe Maas river sits Oude Haven, or the Old Port. There are tons of waterfront restaurants to enjoy a drink and take in the view of the beautiful old ships.

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is a must-visit when in Rotterdam. The museum opened in 1849 and includes a massive collection ranging from medieval to contemporary art.

Naturally, the museum focuses a lot on Dutch art however the permanent exhibit includes well-known artists from other regions including Monet, Cézanne, and Dalí.

Rotterdam was such a pleasant surprise! I highly recommend visiting – it is an easy trip from Amsterdam or Antwerp!

Pin it:

XoXo

2 weeks ago

View on Instagram |

5/9

Sunday was a big birthday for me - the big 3-0! I can't believe it! We did a fun hike along the border of VA/WV in George Washington National Forest 🌄 Check out this view!!

adventureswithshelby

•

Below are some of my favorite highlights of the city:

Erasmusbrug

Het Park

Markthal

Stroopwafels are a Dutch classic – two thin cookies sandwiched by caramel or syrup. You can get FRESH stroopwafel, warm and gooey, in Markthal. Absolutely lifechanging!

Kijk-Kubus

Living as an urban roof

Oude Haven

Just between Markthal and the Nieuwe Maas river sits Oude Haven, or the Old Port. There are tons of waterfront restaurants to enjoy a drink and take in the view of the beautiful old ships.

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is a must-visit when in Rotterdam. The museum opened in 1849 and includes a massive collection ranging from medieval to contemporary art.

Naturally, the museum focuses a lot on Dutch art however the permanent exhibit includes well-known artists from other regions including Monet, Cézanne, and Dalí.

Rotterdam was such a pleasant surprise! I highly recommend visiting – it is an easy trip from Amsterdam or Antwerp!

Pin it:

XoXo

3 weeks ago

View on Instagram |

6/9

Finally visited the National tree and the state trees this week 🎄✨ What happened to the ugly cone lights on the National tree!? I swear it looks great this year 😂

adventureswithshelby

•

Below are some of my favorite highlights of the city:

Erasmusbrug

Het Park

Markthal

Stroopwafels are a Dutch classic – two thin cookies sandwiched by caramel or syrup. You can get FRESH stroopwafel, warm and gooey, in Markthal. Absolutely lifechanging!

Kijk-Kubus

Living as an urban roof

Oude Haven

Just between Markthal and the Nieuwe Maas river sits Oude Haven, or the Old Port. There are tons of waterfront restaurants to enjoy a drink and take in the view of the beautiful old ships.

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is a must-visit when in Rotterdam. The museum opened in 1849 and includes a massive collection ranging from medieval to contemporary art.

Naturally, the museum focuses a lot on Dutch art however the permanent exhibit includes well-known artists from other regions including Monet, Cézanne, and Dalí.

Rotterdam was such a pleasant surprise! I highly recommend visiting – it is an easy trip from Amsterdam or Antwerp!

Pin it:

XoXo

4 weeks ago

View on Instagram |

7/9

Can y'all believe it's Christmas week already!? ❄🎄
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#igdc #washmagphoto #washingtondc #dcfocused #walkwithlocals #girlsthatwander #wheretofindme #sidewalkerdaily #downtownholidaymarket #christmasmarket #holidayseason

adventureswithshelby

•

Below are some of my favorite highlights of the city:

Erasmusbrug

Het Park

Markthal

Stroopwafels are a Dutch classic – two thin cookies sandwiched by caramel or syrup. You can get FRESH stroopwafel, warm and gooey, in Markthal. Absolutely lifechanging!

Kijk-Kubus

Living as an urban roof

Oude Haven

Just between Markthal and the Nieuwe Maas river sits Oude Haven, or the Old Port. There are tons of waterfront restaurants to enjoy a drink and take in the view of the beautiful old ships.

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is a must-visit when in Rotterdam. The museum opened in 1849 and includes a massive collection ranging from medieval to contemporary art.

Naturally, the museum focuses a lot on Dutch art however the permanent exhibit includes well-known artists from other regions including Monet, Cézanne, and Dalí.

Rotterdam was such a pleasant surprise! I highly recommend visiting – it is an easy trip from Amsterdam or Antwerp!

Pin it:

XoXo

4 weeks ago

View on Instagram |

8/9

✨ Enchant Christmas ✨ I felt like a little kid exploring the light maze! Who else is visiting Enchant this year!?

adventureswithshelby

•

Below are some of my favorite highlights of the city:

Erasmusbrug

Het Park

Markthal

Stroopwafels are a Dutch classic – two thin cookies sandwiched by caramel or syrup. You can get FRESH stroopwafel, warm and gooey, in Markthal. Absolutely lifechanging!

Kijk-Kubus

Living as an urban roof

Oude Haven

Just between Markthal and the Nieuwe Maas river sits Oude Haven, or the Old Port. There are tons of waterfront restaurants to enjoy a drink and take in the view of the beautiful old ships.

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen is a must-visit when in Rotterdam. The museum opened in 1849 and includes a massive collection ranging from medieval to contemporary art.

Naturally, the museum focuses a lot on Dutch art however the permanent exhibit includes well-known artists from other regions including Monet, Cézanne, and Dalí.

Rotterdam was such a pleasant surprise! I highly recommend visiting – it is an easy trip from Amsterdam or Antwerp!

Pin it:

XoXo

1 month ago

View on Instagram |

9/9

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