First Meal in Breda

November 3, Monday

Minutes before it turned 5pm, Jay and I were already hungry. Especially since we skipped eating our lunch, we were craving something heavy — anything with rice or noodles.

We walked around the town square and found a Japanese restaurant with about a 4.3 Google rating.

The restaurant was empty when we walked in. The female waitstaff greeted us and asked if we preferred …

"Dutch or English?"

Wow! I like it here. Communicating wouldn't be as hard as I imagined.

She seated us nearer the door, by the wall, and gave us a menu with an English translation under every dish.

Jay and I both got ramen—Miso Karaage Ramen for him and Miso Ebi Fry Ramen for me.

We inhaled every morsel and drop of our dinner. It was just so good. 

Bao Ramen Kitchen 

Grote Markt 21, Breda, the Netherlands

Breda Day 1

I was so tired since I didn't get a wink of sleep for the whole duration of our flight, and right after we got settled in the hotel at around noon, I took a nap and just forgot about lunch. 

By 4 pm, we decided to take a stroll around Breda. 

I am always in awe of all architectural details from decades and centuries ago—how detailed they are with really sturdy and above-standard materials to have them last until the present time.

I instantly fell in love with Breda. There are more bicycles here than cars, and most are sedans or smaller. I admire their active lifestyle and their readiness to take a break as well.

Room 219

Together with the rest of Jay's colleagues bound for the Netherlands, they were booked at Hotel Nassau, located in the heart of Breda. 

Formerly a courthouse and a monastery, this hotel, which opened in 2016, belongs to the international Marriott hotel group and is part of their Autograph Collection, an independent upper-upscale-to-luxury hotel group. 

Jay and his tag-along, ((( Me! ))), got a room with a view of a church.

Welcome to room 219, our room for 2 weeks in Breda.

By the way, this hotel has a -1 floor. 

Run, Lili! Run!

November 2, 2025

From the Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, instead of getting a taxi or an Uber ride, we took the train to Breda. 

Amsterdam train station

Jay and another colleague, Ronald, will be working there for about 2 weeks. Another coworker, Carlo, will also follow a week after.

We chose the direct trip, but at the station in Rotterdam (about halfway to our destination), we were told to get down and move to the first carriage.

We were all confused within that carriage, but eventually disembarked, and we observed that the passengers in front of us began to run. 

Hauling our luggage, we sprinted. 

Sadly, all of us didn't make it. 

Rotterdam train station

A few men were angry and asked for an explanation from the staff in the station. Their frustration was palpable as they demanded answers.

The lady staff was infuriated when asked by the group of men. She said that she announced the transfer before the train reached Rotterdam. 

She also added that she announced it in many languages. In fact, she knew so many of them--- Dutch, Spanish, English, German, you name it!

We weren't mad. We were just so confused. 

The train moved, but the carriage we came down from didn't. 

The long train was cut into two, and a few carriages detached from the rest, and the first few continued their travel straight to Breda...

...without us. 

With my Hands

While we were on vacation in New Orleans with our children last September, I specifically told Jay that when we're in Breda for his work, he must go if he is invited by his Dutch colleagues to hang out after work.

Well, today is his first day of work here in the Netherlands. 

I woke him up at 6:10 a.m. to become ready to go down for an early breakfast at 7. 

His work starts at 9. It would be a shame if he came in late when his work takes place at the conference room on the first floor of the hotel we're staying at, Hotel Nassau.

I decided to work in the morning in our hotel room. Although all of my online shops are set to vacation mode, I just needed to update information in the spreadsheets.

Oh, let me correct that. "I TRIED to work" was the exact term. 

I've been very sleepy during the daytime here and the opposite of that in the evening. I was too sleepy to even consider getting lunch. I was just too tired to drag myself out of bed.

By 2 p.m., I was starving. I decided to get ramen at FoodHall. It's a 6-minute walk from the hotel.

I got a gyoza ramen, and oh, I made sure I brought my water flask because water isn't served gratis in restaurants. 

I walked back to the hotel after my late lunch, and I took a nap. 

By 4:50ish, Jay sent me a text message that they're heading out for beer at a place called Big Belly Bar and Restaurant, a 4-minute walk away.

Once again, I had no intention of eating dinner. I was simply too exhausted. Just too sleepy to think about what food to get.

By 7 p.m., I finally got out of bed and walked to Bao Ramen Kitchen. 

More than anything, I just wanted to eat with my hands. So, I ordered takeout of their crispy roasted pork belly and a side of rice. 

I couldn't finish it and set it aside. Also, I wished this came with a vinegar dipping sauce.

Jay came back at 7:30 p.m. and said that he didn't have dinner yet. They only had beer and appetizers.

So, I offered him my leftovers. The problem is he's not really keen on eating using his hands, and the takeout didn't come with chopsticks or a disposable spoon and fork. 

And because he had no choice, he also ate with his hands.