Ik hou van Amsterdam!

In Amsterdam:
a) dogs are allowed in restaurants.
b) people are friendly and seem to have a good sense of humor.
c) there is an outdoor market full of things that range from chic to bizarre.
d) everything is within walking distance.
e) there are not many beggars who constantly torment you for money.
f) many Dutch people speak English.
g) the Red Light District and Coffee Shops contribute to the cultural experience and the the laid-back vibe of the city.
h) there are many museums, with subjects spanning from Van Gogh to torture.
i) all of the above

These are the reasons why Amsterdam is now my favorite European city.
We only spent one night in the city, but it was a great stay and I am definitely going back!
We drove from Brussels and parked outside of the city at the Arena. We purchased park and ride passes...a huge tip if you ever travel to Amsterdam. It’s a great place, but not very car friendly.
Our first Dutch experience was at Albert Cuypmarkt, an outdoor market. We walked around, saw everything from clothes to tulips to Indian spices to chocolate in the shape of...um, well, you know....human anatomy. We also met Wally, the owner of Wally Waffle. Dad had an almond and white chocolate waffle, and Mom and I both had cherry and chocolate. We got to see Wally pour the batter onto the press, fill the valleys with cherries and then drizzle the top with warm Godiva chocolate. Yes, it was delicious.



After exploring the market, we had lunch at Chocolate (notice a reoccurring theme here?) Random fact: the Olsen twins once visited the restaurant!
Mom got a real Caesar salad, Dad got a salmon sandwich, and once again, I ordered goat cheese. This time it came on cornbread (it’s nothing like our corn bread!) with honey and thyme on top. We enjoyed our meal as a dachshund named Texan ran around, nibbling crumbs from the floor.

Our apartment in Amsterdam was on a quiet street, just a few blocks from Albert Cuypmarkt.It was bright, stark white, with a view of the tree-lined street. Mom found the apartment on airbnb.com, our new favorite travel site.

One of the things on my bucket list has been to visit the Anne Frank House. I read Anne Frank’s diary when I was fourteen, as ever since I have been fascinated by her life and her strength, and her talent. I am so grateful that I can now add another check to my bucket list.

Visiting the Secret Annex was surreal. Walking over the same floorboards, crouching under the same doorways, and balancing on the same narrow steps as Anne Frank was unbelievable. Simply unbelievable.

After the the inhabitants of the Secret Annex were caught and sent to concentration camps, the apartment was raided and the furniture was confiscated. The rooms of the museum and apartment are barren except for display cases holding letters, pictures, and the actual diaries and short stories of Anne Frank. Otto Frank, Anne’s father and only member of the Secret Annex that survived the war, wanted the rooms to be left as they had been after the war.

Anne’s diaries serve as the story of a young girl’s dreams and a glimpse into the life of those who went into hiding because of Nazi reign in World War Two. She represents just one of millions that were killed in the Holocaust. The themes of tolerance, bravery, optimism found in Anne’s diaries contrast the hate and racist bias of the Holocaust.

As I entered one of the last exhibits, I thought about my fascination with Anne Frank. Looking back on my earlier teenage thoughts and ideologies, I see similarities that Fourteen Year Old Sarah shares with Anne - both avid writers, both aspiring journalists, both dramatic dreamers, both using diaries to express feelings that can’t be said out loud.

If you’re ever in Amsterdam, whether you’re interested in the life of Anne Frank or not, visit the house and museum. It’s so important to remember the impact that Anne made, the terrible consequences of racism, and the need for tolerance in our society.



We walked past the Homomonument, a memorial to those persecuted for their sexuality, on the way to the center of Amsterdam. The monument has three points - one pointing towards the Anne Frank House, one pointing towards the National War Memorial on Dam Square, and one pointing towards the Center for Culture and Leisure of the Netherlands.

The Red Light District wasn’t as flashy as I thought it would be, but then again, we went in the late afternoon. Smoke from coffee shops filled the streets and signs illustrating the different types of marijuana for purchase were posted in the windows. Since this is an “all ages blog,” I’ll just say that a majority of the stores and theaters are rated R and if you look too closely in the windows of the “businesses,” you will probably see something you won’t want to see.
Photographs are not allowed in the Red Light District because of the strict regulations enforced to protect the workers, but I did get a few shots of Mom and Dad having fun on our little Dutch adventure...


We found a way out of the Red Light District and had supper in a quieter part of town.

This morning, we headed for the market. Nothing says “good morning” like a Wally Waffle. :-) We met the managers of a cooking store and they offered to watch our bags while we walked to the Van Gogh Museum.

The Van Gogh Museum was really great and we were able to see hundreds of pieces of Van Gogh’s work as well as paintings by Picasso and Monet. Although Van Gogh lived a lonely life and he didn’t acquire fame while he was living, most of his work is bright and beautiful.

BUSTED!


We went back to retrieve our bags and I got to talk to the store manager’s granddaughter about Lady Gaga and Adele. It was pretty great.

Tonight is my last night in Brussels...tomorrow we’re taking the Chunnel to London. I can’t wait to get some tacky Will and Kate stuff. :-)