Amsterdam

Amsterdam was a dream. without a doubt one of the most magical places I have seen with my own eyes. walking through the town, over the bridges and along the canals feels as you’d imagine it would in a fairytale. I fell in love with the place instantly, and as I type on my train away, I look back with my glasses still rose-tinted with gratitude for my time spent here.

a big day of museums. visiting the Van Gogh galleries was unforgettable. the entire museum was laid out chronologically, so that visitors wandered through a path that told his story. no cameras were allowed in the museum, which made seeing his masterpieces all the more special.

I also accidentally found myself at MOCO, a contemporary art museum in a cottage which held countless original works by Banksy. Banksy is the revolutionary of my generation in the art world, and it was a real honour to see his work, much of which I’ve admired for years, up close. the artist pushes boundaries and challenges us to question the consumer culture in which we live, and the things that we take for granted. a highlight of the adventure so far.

my new friend Pieke showed me around the city. I visited the bench at which Hazel and Augustus sit in ‘The Fault in Our Stars’, ticking a big dream off my teenage bucket list. we ate delicious food, and caught a movie in one of the many beautiful cinemas that seem to litter the city.

I would happily live here, and I hope to return sometime very soon. grateful doesn’t quite describe how I feel to mind myself in these magical places, and connecting with these phenomenal people << x