Netherlands Adventures!: Katwijk aan Zee

Last week Abby, Kristen, Marika (girls in my study abroad program) and I decided that because it was such a nice day, we had to go to the beach.  We pulled out a map and our program director, Steef, helped us figure out that in order to get to the beach, we should follow the signs for bikers that would lead us to Katwijk, a small town located right on the North Sea.  After some lunch, we hopped on our bikes and headed for the beach!    Here's our rough path:

The Netherlands has such extensive bike infrastructure that were able to bike along the highway (although on a separate path, because biking on the highway is dangerous, no matter where you are) for anywhere between 45 and 60 minutes to get to the beach.  It was a really nice and easy ride, too!

It was a perfect day to visit the North Sea.

There were shells all over the beach.  I didn't just find a special spot in the sand with a lot of shells, I promise.

Funny story: we decided to get ice cream before actually setting foot on the beach.  We walked towards the sand with cones in hand and were immediately attacked by sea gulls who wanted our ice cream or our cones or both.  They literally swooped in on us and took our stuff!  I hate sea gulls... greedy birds...

Still here :)  Also, this is the second new body of water I've stepped in this year-- I crossed off the Pacific Ocean in July, but now I can cross off the North Sea too!

Grr....

Kristen (L) and Abby (R)

It's weird to think "Netherlands" and "beach" together in the same sentence, but here you go!
We definitely would have liked to stay longer, but we eventually had to go home.  Still, it was a beautiful day.  Hopefully we can go back sometime before the weather gets too awful.
Tot Ziens!
--Jude