the Netherlands

Currency: Euro | Exchange Rate: €10 = USD $10.43 | €10 = ¥1,648.13

Amsterdam was my last stop on my solo trip to Europe, so at this point I was a little burnt out. It was absolutely stunning, but it’s important to remember that the Mauritshuis Museum (located in The Hague) and tulip fields are well outside the city. It was also by far the most social city I went to, which was a little hard to digest as a solo traveler (especially a solo female traveler). And be prepared for tiny restaurants & bars and expensive museums!

I think it’s because of the social spirit that’s in the air, but I actually ended up becoming friends with someone I happened to strike up a conversation with in Dam Square. We hung out a couple days after that, getting some coffee and just chatting, and followed each other on social media. We still talk to each other after all that time! He goes to school in Germany, so hopefully I’ll be able to get out there and see him again soon!