Yes, I was there to have a fun time, see some tulips, take a canal cruise, etc. The usual Amsterdam activities. But, I had a separate mission: buy a Miffy stuffed animal. For anyone unenlightened, Miffy is a cute little bunny in a popular children’s book series in the Netherlands, and I was determined to find the perfect Miffy stuffed animal to bring back to Newcastle.
Miffy is quite popular in Amsterdam, so there are tons of different places to purchase them in various styles. Every few blocks, I would see Miffy in store windows and feel compelled to point and just say “Miffy” to my friend. With so many options, I felt conflicted over which one I should buy. Serious decision, everyone.
Halfway through our trip, I started to get anxious as I saw high-priced Miffys in the Keukenhof gift shop. A little later, we travelled to the Tulip Experience and after a few (or a thousand) aesthetic pictures in the fields, I discovered two of the cutest Miffys I’d seen: A tulip farmer Miffy, and a Miffy in a white and blue dress with iconic Amsterdam designs on it. I sat there going back and forth between the two and then eventually brought the tulip farmer Miffy up to the register. As the tag was scanned, and I reached out to pay, I noticed the price didn’t match the one on the table. The cashier informed me that the tulip farmer was next to the wrong price and was slightly more expensive. Knowing I had already spent lots of money on the trip, I swapped the two Miffys and purchased the blue and white dress Miffy.
Little did I know this decision would haunt me for the following 3 hours...
Little did I know this decision would haunt me for the following 3 hours. As each minute passed, I missed tulip farmer Miffy more and wondered if she felt rejected by me. Yes, I realise I am being dramatic, but this decision was on my mind from the Uber to the hotel, the train back into Amsterdam, and the 35-minute walk to our next activity. And in the last few minutes of our walk, my brain overflowing with guilt, there it was: a large Miffy store. I told my friend that I was just going in ‘for a look,’ but I knew that if tulip farmer Miffy was in there, I would have to buy her. And to no one’s surprise, I now have two Miffy stuffed animals.
You may be thinking, “Taylor, you did not need to buy two bunny stuffed animals,” and you’re probably right, but what I do know is that those two adorable bunnies now live together happily on my comfy chair, and I can sleep at night in peace.