eindhoven: not what i expected
so i ended up in eindhoven after misreading my train ticket and honestly? it's kinda growing on me. i just checked and it's 8.32°c there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the weather's that classic dutch mix of cold wind and grey skies that makes you want to drink coffee all day.
anyway, the city's in noord-brabant, about 68 miles southeast of rotterdam. i found this map that kinda shows where everything is:
first thing i noticed? it's flat. like really flat. someone told me that the whole area is built on sandy ground between a few streams - dommel, gender, tongelreep - though the gender got dammed and filled after some flooding issues post-world war ii. smart move, i guess.
if you get bored, son en breugel, nuenen, geldrop-mierlo, waalre, veldhoven, oirschot, and best are just a short drive away. the whole metro area with helmond apparently has over 725,000 people, though i haven't been that far out yet.
the food scene? honestly, i'm still figuring that out. the research didn't turn up any famous local dishes, which is either a crime or means the food's so good it doesn't need fame. i did find some decent coffee shops though - surprise surprise.
what's really interesting is how the city transformed from this tiny village in 1232 (when duke hendrik i of brabant gave it city rights) into this industrial powerhouse. philips basically built this place, though their headquarters moved to amsterdam at some point. still, the tech and design vibe is everywhere.
living here seems pretty straightforward. it's bike-friendly as hell, which is good because the public transport is decent but cycling is just easier. someone mentioned that rainfall happens year-round, so pack accordingly. the winters are cold and windy, summers are comfortable but partly cloudy. basically, bring layers.
the airport's here too, which is convenient as heck. and there's this strijp district that's supposed to be super innovative, though i haven't explored it properly yet. the whole place just feels like it's constantly reinventing itself while still holding onto some history.
anyway, that's my messy take on eindhoven so far. it's not the most glamorous city, but there's something about it that works. maybe it's the mix of old and new, or maybe i'm just getting soft in my old age.
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