DEN HAAG 2026-06-17
Dutch travelog, part 8. Read part 7 here.
Our trip was finally nearing the end.
Wednesday morning was spent getting ready and packing up, making sure I didn't leave anything behind this time. We left after 10:00. Mozzarella gave us a big hug and even kissed Daniel on the cheek twice, which took him by surprise.
The bus ride to the station was embarrassing. I got confused by the stops (turns out the screen wasn't moving), so I panicked and made us get up from our seats. At one point, the bus lurched to a stop and I slammed into Daniel. (Someone else also flew out of their seat as well.) I looked up and saw a guy shake his head at the scene. I was sweating buckets at this point. What a wild ride.
I can be quite anxious while traveling, especially with Daniel. What I mean is, when I'm traveling with people I'm less comfortable with, I'll try to pretend everything is ok. But with Daniel, I let all my anxieties out. I started worrying that we might not have time to eat the soufflé pancakes, because according to the reviews, it could be a long wait time.
"I'll call them," said Daniel. He's usually never this proactive, but he really wanted those pancakes. So he called the restaurant. Not only did we book a table for 11:50, we also pre-ordered our pancakes—matcha berry and bacon & egg—because the staff had warned us that they would take about 20 minutes to prepare.
BRUNCH
We arrived at Souffle Café DH at 11:50 on the dot. As soon as we walked in, the server told us our table was ready and so were our pancakes!
The pancakes were delicious! They were light, fluffy, and had the perfect jiggle. The reviews were mixed, but most were complaining that the decor was less cute compared to the original, Rotterdam location. We both ate half of each pancake and were satisfied. I would come here again!
We finished our meal in 20 minutes, paid, and then went straight to R&S's place.
A REUNION
As soon as we entered the apartment, Luca came bounding towards us. Ok, this time he really did seem excited to see us again. "He really misses you guys!" S exclaimed.
I went to the guest room to retrieve my clothing and discovered that I had actually forgotten a third item: a bra, which is another essential article. It was worth coming back.
Our reunion was short and sweet. I asked to borrow a tote bag because we had locked our suitcases at the station* and I didn't want to carry my loose clothing in my hands. (I kept imagining my bra flying away because of the strong winds.) The tote bag ended up being really handy, especially at the airport.
* It wasn't worth it, imo, but Daniel said he didn't want to lug around his duffel bag and backpack. However, it was €14.50 per locker (Daniel insisted we couldn't fit everything into one), and I locked it before I realized the price. I later realized if you didn't pay the door would've popped back open. Ya live and ya learn.
✈
The journey back home was uneventful. We took the train back to Schiphol, picking up some stroopwafels on the way. I played Tomodachi Life on the plane again. It was the first time I opened the game since the flight to Amsterdam. We arrived home around 19:00. I was so exhausted and needed two days to recover.
10 questions
I wanted to do a summary of the trip, but I've already written about it in such great detail, so I'd rather do something more fun (for me) instead, which is answer questions! I found this travel survey here.
- Which was your favourite place you visited?
Den Haag. Most people complain that it's boring and there's not much to do. I live in Lucerne (and I love it), so for me, Den Haag is full of life.
- What surprised you the most about how people live there?
There's a lack of paper towels and napkins. Also, Uniqlo doesn't sell pajamas for men.
- Were you able to pick up some of the local language?
"Lopen" (walk) and "hardlopen" (run). I did try to learn Dutch via Duolingo but that was more for funsies.
- What was your favourite neighbourhood?
Den Haag, mostly because we spent so much time there on this trip. There are still places I haven't visited, but also spots that I'd love to return to.
- Was the country/city like you expected it to be?
I've visited before, so I wasn't surprised by my experiences in the city. I was more shocked by how dirty and smelly the train was. I didn't take public transportation as much during my previous trip to Amsterdam, and we did a lot more inter-city traveling this time.
- Did the places you visited remind you of anywhere else?
Some streets within the old towns reminded me of the old towns in Switzerland.
- What was the most memorable meal of the trip?
There were so many great meals. I know I said that the Surinamese was one of my favorites, but my #1 favorite was the trip to the ice cream shop. I can't stop raving (and thinking) about it.
- What was the highlight of your trip?
Being inspired by all the museums we went to. I don't know why, but I really paid attention on this trip in particular, and I made sure to take that inspiration back home with me.
- Would you re-visit anywhere you went? Will you go back to see other parts of the country?
Yes! I want to go back to Delft again to visit the museum and slowly build my stackable tulip vase.
- Would you ever consider moving there?
I did, until I learned that the healthcare system isn't efficient compared to Switzerland. (Long wait for surgeries, need to advocate for yourself, etc.) So, no.
BONUS OBSERVATIONS
❈ The humidity "straightened" my hair into a frizzy and crispy mess. I found so many split ends! My hair is really wavy and nice in Switzerland, so I made another mental note as to why I could never move there, lol.
❈ Dutch people are more social and willing to help tourists. I've had Dutch people strike up casual conversations with me or help us when we seemed lost and confused. That would never happen in Switzerland. The Swiss would just watch you struggle, lol.
❈ Dutch youth are more expressive when it comes to fashion. I saw a young person with their face fully pierced up—eyebrows, nose, lips, etc. You don't see that as much in Switzerland. Also, lots of creative and cute outfits!
❈ The Dutch really appreciate art! Not just because of the many museums. Art and culture feels infused into their daily life, from the hip cafés to the playful street art.
❈ The Dutch seem to appreciate their immigrants. The Dutch were one of the biggest colonizers in history and this doesn't absolve them for what they've done in the past; not at all. But still, I was surprised that they featured Islamic art at the Escher Museum because Escher was inspired by it, and they have a museum dedicated to immigration. (The bar is on the ground, obvs).
❈ Dutch is such a funny language. "Je drinkt melk," was one of the phrases I learned in Duolingo. It just sounds like a Scottish person saying, "You drink milk," which is exactly what that sentence means.
❈ The Dutch love sandwiches. My cousin explained how a typical Dutch person would eat their sandwich at work. They would take out a loaf of bread from their desk drawer and make three separate sandwiches: one with a single slice of ham, another with a single slice of cheese, and idk, a third sandwich with like a slice of tomato. And they would alternate eating and making these sandwiches until they're full. He said it due to WW2 food rationing times, that this was the most efficient way to get full, rather than eat one single sandwich with ham, cheese, and tomato. Times have changed, but their appetite for single ingredient sandwiches has not!
And that's a wrap
Favorite photo (now my desktop wallpaper)
There is still so much to see in the Netherlands, like the tulip fields and getting up-close-and-personal to a windmill. It's one of my favorite European countries to visit: great food, easy to get around, and so much to do! I'll be back. I don't know when, but someday.
Until next time! Doei! (See you later!)