We started this one out by heading to Norderney, a beautiful German island on the northern border right in the North Sea. After a train ride and a short (and cold) ferry to the island, we were given bikes for our stay - instilling the realization of the dreamlike town we were in. It was literally like a movie. I don't know about everyone else, but it's been years since I've ridden a bike, and just this little part of our excursion gave me a surprising amount of happiness.
Anyway, after the bikes... we rode as a big group to our hostel. We all split up into rooms and settled in then went to a quick dinner and headed to the small downtown (the whole island after all is only a few kilometers long). Everyone there was riding around on bikes past cute little shops, stores, and stands. It felt like I was an extra in a movie. We went back to our hostel a little later and were out again that night. After telling ourselves we were going to "cleanse" our bodies, we still ended up grabbing a couple bottles of wine at the grocery store we biked to and went to sit on the beach of the North Sea. Sitting around in our little beach chairs with canopies bundled up in the stormy weather, I couldn't help but feeling sentimental as I looked around at all these people I had only met a few weeks prior - so thankful that we were all here together.
The next day, we were up for breakfast and ready to go have our spa day! A bit of relaxation was quite needed for all of us. We started off in swimsuits for a couple of the heated spa pools but those swimsuits were soon hanging on some hooks. As part of the first group to go to the silt and sauna section, none of us really knew what to expect. So as all of us girls were given instructions, we were down to nothing but a layer of mud on our bodies. Though you may think this would provide some insecurities, it oddly gave me some interesting confidence in my body, and I can confidently say that I'll be hitting up some nude beaches in the future. Not to mention how good and relaxing it felt to then sit in a sauna and have water come down at the end to wipe away the silt. We then grabbed towels, alternated between saunas and cold pools, and napped before changing into clothes again and buying some of the silt as gifts for my family and friends. Let me tell you, it's incredible what a sauna can do for your mood, because not even my biggest problems could have phased me as I walked out of that bath house. We then got some gelato and rode our bikes around before heading back to the hostel for a delicious and fun barbecue that night with everyone. And yet again, we were at the beach that night - this time including a little skinny dip in the North Sea (I hope it's okay for me to be including these details in this blog).
The last full day started with a bike tour (was not expecting it to be so strenuous but honestly I was in need of a good workout after the over 50 gelato cones I've already had while here). This was also our day to walk on the mud flats which was honestly a lot more fun than we were all expecting it to be in the cold and windy weather as we would be in shorts walking through mud up to our calves. At low tide, a marine biologist guided us all the way to the water, stopping along the way to teach us of all the wildlife right beneath us. At the water, I also got to hold a jellyfish. Literally one of the weird things I have always wanted to do, and I got to freaking do it. So cool. Anyway, that night, we packed up our things and got to sleep, and the next morning, I was up at 5:30 to join Dr. Wasser and a few others in a morning workout and swim in the sea before leaving. I am still sore.
As everyone now headed to different places from the train station for the weekend, my group and I were on our way to the next adventure - Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Now, we all know the common associations that people have with Amsterdam - cannabis, the red light district, and overall, extreme freedom (I guess tulips, too). What I'll say is that my expectations were met and exceeded (and I'll also say that if you want some coffee to keep your energy high in this lively city, make sure it's actually a coffee shop...)
During our stay, we packed in all the to-dos of this city. We were lucky enough to get tickets to go into Anne Frank's house for a tour thanks to Cassidy (it was one of the most moving and emotional experiences I've had), we visited the Van Gogh museum, we went on a pizza, ice cream, and free drinks canal cruise, we stayed in an awesome and lively hostel, we strolled through some beautiful parks, we ate good food and gelato (of course), and we discovered some interesting night life (including an underground and nameless club that lifted up its entrance only at night, providing no knowledge of its existence to the people of the day). After a crazy few days, we were on a train yet again Sunday night to head home for a little bit of sleep - sleepy and exhausted but so happy to be having all these experiences and especially with such great people.
The next morning, after sleeping in until 10:00 (the most sleep I've gotten while being here), I rode the bus into town on my own to grab a coffee and baked goods to sit down for some writing and reflecting...
This was a week where I found myself with constant epiphanies. It was a rollercoaster of a week in terms of all that I was discovering. I felt that I had never had so much revealed to myself about myself in such a short period of time. There were just so many moments this past week where I found understanding in small moments. Things that I had questioned for so long that I contemplated over and over were now so recognizable. Funny the way things hit you when you aren't looking for them. It is strange the way taking yourself out of comfort can give you comfort in other ways... Comfort in clarity, perhaps.
I don't really know. I just know that life is good, I am having fun attempting to discover the most that I can about this crazy life thing, and that I am a lucky girl.
And this is where my third week concluded.
-Kylie Reis
My GIRLS on our canal cruise.
Look at my people on the North Sea.
Beautiful canals of Amsterdam.
Canals and buildings.
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