Exploring Rotterdam, Cube Houses and Horseshoe Market! / Netherlands 2022

With one day in Rotterdam, we headed to the city to explore the main tourist attractions. 

Click here to watch the vlog or see below. 

We started the morning packing and checking out of the hotel (review coming Friday!). Whilst I got ready, Luke went out to the shops to buy some breakfast. He had eaten at the hotel the previous three days but apparently it wasn't very good so he didn't want to eat again. I had some leftover baked goods from the previous trip, so I was okay. 

From there, we walked across a very windy port front and into the city centre of Rotterdam. We walked over the bridge and enjoyed some of the sites, especially the colourful wind turbine and flags on display. It was lovely to see a flag for each country, which we discovered through trying to find the UK was almost in alphabetical order. The most significant part was that the Ukraine flag stood taller that all the others, as a sign of allegiance. 

We walked towards the cube houses, otherwise known as Kubuswoningen. Other than the port, this is one of the city’s most iconic attractions. They are so beautiful up close and really amazing. As you look up, you can see the furniture through the window and it's impressive that it doesn't fall down. They were designed by Dutch architect Piet Blom and built to be a residential development. They are literally cubes, tilted over by 45 degrees. We went into the museum version to see exactly what it looked like from the inside as well and they were surprisingly stable and spacious. Visitors can also spend a night in a cube, although it is a little pricey. 

Just around the back was the Markthal. Due to the architectural design, it's also nicknamed the horseshoe market because of it appearing to be an arch of apartments. In actual fact, it is all enclosed, with spotlessly clean clear glass covering both sides. Inside, it hides an array of unique markets, mainly food, as well as restaurants and supermarkts. 

Finally, we started to return back to the hotel. As the metro cards last for a 1 hour period, we got the metro back as we would then be using it to get to Amsterdam. On the walk towards that, we got to listen to a few buskers. My favourite was the recorder! 

The journey to our next hotel was utterly horrendous. It took absolutely forever. We first of all got a metro to the Rotterdam hotel, then got the metro to Station Zuid, then a train to Amsterdam, then a bus to the nearest stop and then a very long walk. It was suppose to be 10 minutes, but unfortunately the road we were meant to go down was closed, so it added on a 25 minute walking detour. I was so over to by the end of it. Thankfully, Luke pulled my suitcase for the last half, because I was ready to give up. I wanted a taxi but Luke said no. What was really depressing was that we could see the hotel the entire time, but because it was surrounded by canals there was no easy way to get to it. 

The hotel was beautiful when we finally arrived (review coming next Friday!) and I didn't want to leave. Sadly, Luke had other ideas so we headed to Amsterdam city centre. We searched a few streets before coming across Pasta Pasta. We both got delicious dishes and mine was honestly the best carbonara I've had in years! 

To finish, we walked through the streets of the famous Red Light District and I just felt so uncomfortable. I don't know what I was expecting but it wasn't what it was. I walked down a street to look at the church and BAM! Red window. I was in shock. The women weren't even that "spectacular" looking. But to be honest, the worst part was the smell of weed everywhere. I found my headache getting worse and worse, defintely not for me. 

Finally, it was back to the safe retreat of the hotel and I was so ready for a good night's sleep.