If the shoe fits...

Oh, Holland.

How can you not love a country where giant wooden shoes line the streets? For me, it was, at the very least, infatuation at first sight.

But there are many other things to love about the Netherlands. Not the least of which is the fact that some of the larger-than-life shoes double as small pleasure boats on the city's many canals - I've found my ideal sea vessel.

Other wondrous Dutch inventions include the stroopwafel, a flat, caramel, chewy concoction that melts when placed on top of a steaming mug of tea. Now you see where that grad-school 15 is going to come from.

And did I mention that Nutella is easily (and cheaply) imported? Don't even get me started on the ready availability of falafel. Obviously, Holland is my mecca.

Luckily, people walk and bike everywhere here, which offsets any pastry indulgences. A downside to this mobility is the thriving bike thievery 'business.' I even had the seat stolen off of my rent-a-bike in Amsterdam, although the loss was covered by three-euro rental insurance. Still, the depth of my sorrow was evident (see above photo).

Holland also has a thriving elderly population (not to be confused with the thriving thieves...at least not until further investigations have been completed). Nowhere else but in the Netherlands will you be forced to jump to the side of the road to make way for a white-haired, rosy-cheeked granny on a bicycle. Trust me, nothing gets in their way.

Between Vermeer, Heineken, and (hopefully) surviving the granny-laden bicycles that hurtle through the streets, I should have no problem thinking of blessings for an stroopwafel-filled expatriate Thanksgiving this November.