July 22
Our last day in Utrecht was a brief one. We met with Ronald in the afternoon and toured the main city offices, which are much fancier than any city offices you would find in the States. The building makes prominent use of solar panels, providing it with sustainable energy. An 11th floor restaurant offered excellent views of the western city. We once again traveled to the top floor to meet with Ronald one last time and debrief as a class. It was a clearer day this time so we could see all the way to Amsterdam. While it was somewhat sad to say goodbye to Ronald, the discussion was a productive way to end the trip. I’m also very much looking forward to Amsterdam. On our way out of the building, we walked past the exit for one of the bike parking structures we toured previously. It was rush hour, and my goodness. A constant stream of bikes spouted out of the building. I can only imagine what this place will look like when the single-entrance garage becomes a through path.
That evening, I had a gourmet hot dog and settled in for a long night of blogging and working on my final project. Amsterdam awaited.