One of the traditional symbols of Dutch culture are the windmills or known as ‘molen.’ Their original function was the regulation of water, and for Holland this was very necessary because the country is 6 meters below sea level. The windmills were a way of creating more land and dispersing water by the large paddlewheels from inside the mill to pump the water into a reservoir. However, today they have been replaced with more advanced equipment such as power-driven pumping engines; leaving the windmills to become museums, government owned property and rarely used for their original purpose. There are only about 1000 still present in the Netherlands.

Rotterdam is near many attractions and the harbor is very functional for getting to different destinations. From Rotterdam you can take a boat to witness some of the oldest standing windmills, 19 to be exact which date back to 1740. This place is known as the Kinderdijk. The goal of this foundation is to preserve the windmills themselves and the area that surrounds. As well as enjoying the beautiful Kinderdijk and the experiencing old Dutch culture, getting to the actually location can also be an experience by taking the Pannekoekenboot.. The ride takes about an 2 hours to but along the way you can see some parts of Rotterdam, the harbor and variety of buildings. This is not only a Rotterdam thing but a something that is shared with all Dutch people. Pancakes are a traditional dish here in the Netherlands and on this boat you can lavish your ‘pannekoek’ with sprinkles, chocolate, jam, cheese, meat, sliced fruit and create any combination to fit your taste. The most wonderful thing you can eat as much until you are full and you will not leave disappointed.

I was a lucky individual who had the opportunity to experience these two typical “Dutch” things. For anyone coming to Rotterdam and wanting to do something to satisfy their taste buds and walk for among history and the aesthetic landscape, then this is a perfect way to spend your time while in Rotterdam.