Two Nights in Arnhem, The Netherlands

One of the best things about Nate's job is that I'm able to travel in conjunction with him, or able to travel to meet him when he's on a trip. The last trip, he was sent to Arnhem in the The Netherlands. It was an easy four-and-a-half hour drive, and we passed into the land of tulips and windmills. We didn't have time to venture out much, but it is an easy day-trip to Amsterdam from Arnhem. 

We stayed at the Best Western Plus Hotel Haarhuis. It was a great location, right next to the train and bus station. However, if we return, I'd rather stay at one of the nicer hotels in the area. The room was a little cramped and there was no A/C. However, breakfast was included, and it was fantastic. The breakfast made up for the rest of the hotel experience. 

You know you're in Europe when there's beer in the vending machine (bottom left)

While Nate was working, I ventured out and explored the city. The Netherlands seems to have the best system for bikers. There are bike lanes on every street, and it seems like both cars and pedestrians were meant to yield to bikers.

Look at all the bikes!

In The Netherlands, marijuana is legal. At a certain point on my walk, I started to crave a coffee. However, it was hard to figure out which ones were just coffee houses and which ones were the special "coffee houses." This one (below) was obvious, but some others looked normal from the outside.

Street painting

We also had some mediocre Mexican food, and on our second (and last) night, we had a fun sushi date at Sushi Koi. It was an all-you-can-eat place that is common in Europe. You order by rounds, and it is a ton of fun. We had a great last evening in Arnhem. It's a relatively sleepy town, only made famous by a bridge. However, it was the first time we had been to The Netherlands. The people are nice and friendly, and we look forward to returning.