This is overwhelming…I have so much to say.
Thursday
Kiefer, Molly, Laura and I got to the Prague Airport using the metro and a bus. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate the public transportation here. Of course, as usual I was stopped by security to have an extra pat down. I swear I am on some “do not fly” list or something. On the plane I sat behind an American girl, we got to talking and she was from Atlanta. She went to camp at Barney right across the street from Coleman and I knew some of her friends. Small world. Then we took one of the double decker trains from the airport into the city, where we walked to our hostel. We got a little lost but Amsterdam is so beautiful I didn’t mind. People call it the “Venice of the North” because there are canals and boats everywhere. People were very helpful with directions. I love Prague, but it is a lonely city. When you’re walking around you really get the sense that you are on your own. In Amsterdam when people saw us looking a map they would offer to help us find our way. Another thing that is different in Amsterdam is you need to watch out for bicycles! They definitely have right of way. I can see why people use them, it cheap and the city is small and well laid out so bikes make sense. It was pretty late and a lot of restaurants were closed but Amsterdam is know for its international cuisine, especially Middle eastern and Indonesian, so we went to this place called Jerusalem, the owner was Israeli and he tried to m’dabir some Ivrit with me but I’m pretty rusty.
Friday
We woke up very early because we all wanted to avoid the massive lines that build up around the Anne Frank house on weekends. If Amsterdam wasn’t beautiful enough, when we woke up there was a full double rainbow in the sky. I really enjoyed the Anne Frank. Her story is so iconic and it is nice to see how people from all over the world come to learn about her. There are different displays in each room but no rooms have been recreated at the request of Otto Frank. I got a little teary when I looked at the place on the wall where the children had been measuring how much they grew. I remember reading the diary when I was young and thinking that Anne was a young women because of how she wrote, but this reminded that she was only ten when the occupation in the Netherlands began.
After this we ate at a place called “De Oude Wester.” I got a sweet pancake with bananas, which is sort of a crepe dish the Dutch are famous for. It really bothers me that there are cats that walk around in all the restaurants. I don’t like cats that much so of course they always come and sit under my chair.
Then we went to a famous coffee shop called Amnesia. In addition to drinks and food, coffee shops in Amsterdam sell marijuana products and it is not at all considered a deviant behavior. People can just walk up and by hash, weed, pre-rolled joints or space food. Students just sit in the shop with their laptops doing homework while they smoke a joint. Shrooms are legal too but all hard drugs are also illegal. It’s interesting how people demonize marijuana in the States and in Amsterdam where it is legal, people experience much less violent crime.
After some coffee we went to the Rijksmuseum(there's Kiefer and I in front), which features all of the Dutch Masters. There were really famous pieces like Vermeer’s The Kitchen Maid. I really liked this Museum. There was an entire room dedicated to Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch.” There are laminated pieces that point out where things have been changed or restored over the years. It is really interesting all the things paintings go through.
Saturday
We woke up and went to an open air market right beside our hostel. There was lots of bread, fish, juice and even clothes. We got some really good pastries for breakfast. Then we went to go on a tour of the Heineken Brewery but it was closed for some renovations unfortunately. We were planning on going to the Van Gogh museum so we moved on.
The bottom floor held the Rembrandt Collection. It is 125 pieces that have been brought back to Holland from other countries. The top three floors hold a chronological collection of Van Gogh’s works. I really could have spent hours there. VVG is sort of the Beatles of the art world. He only made art for about ten years, but he created so much diverse art that has had a somewhat unparalleled impact. You never really know what a painting looks like until you get close to it so this was really exciting because Van Gogh’s Bedroom is one of my favorite paintings. I think most people that have been to my house have seen my attempt at it from middle school.
Afterwards, we went to Padi, an Indonesian restaurant. I was not too sure what I ordered but it was pretty good. Afterward we had a drink at Café de Jaren which we got a recommendation for. It was very beautiful and posh looking on the inside. Afterwards we saw the Red Light District, on the way we would pass Dam Sqare where a large carnival was taking place. The rainbows of light were really beautiful. The Red Light District is sort of like a very amped up Bourbon Street. Seeing all the women behind the glass brought to mind little cages. The whole thing made me feel a little icky. Also, I thought the District closed up at night, but the prostitutes stand there all day, too. Afterwards we went to this place called Wonder Bar where we sat on the floor on cu
shions and smoked hookah(flavored tobacco). We were so tired from the long day.
Sunday
We checked out of our hotel and walked to the Rembrandt Museum and house. It shows both his work, his students and his studio. There was a floor full of his etchings which are really fantastic in there simple and abbreviated style that gives a really dramatic image. I watched a woman do a demonstration of print making that Rembrandt would do. She said he often changed something about the original metal etching through out, so each one is different. We got a quick lunch and went back to this really beautiful park where we watched people complete the Amsterdam marathon. Then we headed back to Amsterdam Central where we flew home.
I really thought Amsterdam was beautiful and I hope I can visit again some time. Plus, look at how good I look in clogs.
Thursday
Kiefer, Molly, Laura and I got to the Prague Airport using the metro and a bus. I cannot say enough how much I appreciate the public transportation here. Of course, as usual I was stopped by security to have an extra pat down. I swear I am on some “do not fly” list or something. On the plane I sat behind an American girl, we got to talking and she was from Atlanta. She went to camp at Barney right across the street from Coleman and I knew some of her friends. Small world. Then we took one of the double decker trains from the airport into the city, where we walked to our hostel. We got a little lost but Amsterdam is so beautiful I didn’t mind. People call it the “Venice of the North” because there are canals and boats everywhere. People were very helpful with directions. I love Prague, but it is a lonely city. When you’re walking around you really get the sense that you are on your own. In Amsterdam when people saw us looking a map they would offer to help us find our way. Another thing that is different in Amsterdam is you need to watch out for bicycles! They definitely have right of way. I can see why people use them, it cheap and the city is small and well laid out so bikes make sense. It was pretty late and a lot of restaurants were closed but Amsterdam is know for its international cuisine, especially Middle eastern and Indonesian, so we went to this place called Jerusalem, the owner was Israeli and he tried to m’dabir some Ivrit with me but I’m pretty rusty.
Friday
We woke up very early because we all wanted to avoid the massive lines that build up around the Anne Frank house on weekends. If Amsterdam wasn’t beautiful enough, when we woke up there was a full double rainbow in the sky. I really enjoyed the Anne Frank. Her story is so iconic and it is nice to see how people from all over the world come to learn about her. There are different displays in each room but no rooms have been recreated at the request of Otto Frank. I got a little teary when I looked at the place on the wall where the children had been measuring how much they grew. I remember reading the diary when I was young and thinking that Anne was a young women because of how she wrote, but this reminded that she was only ten when the occupation in the Netherlands began.
After this we ate at a place called “De Oude Wester.” I got a sweet pancake with bananas, which is sort of a crepe dish the Dutch are famous for. It really bothers me that there are cats that walk around in all the restaurants. I don’t like cats that much so of course they always come and sit under my chair.
Then we went to a famous coffee shop called Amnesia. In addition to drinks and food, coffee shops in Amsterdam sell marijuana products and it is not at all considered a deviant behavior. People can just walk up and by hash, weed, pre-rolled joints or space food. Students just sit in the shop with their laptops doing homework while they smoke a joint. Shrooms are legal too but all hard drugs are also illegal. It’s interesting how people demonize marijuana in the States and in Amsterdam where it is legal, people experience much less violent crime.
After some coffee we went to the Rijksmuseum(there's Kiefer and I in front), which features all of the Dutch Masters. There were really famous pieces like Vermeer’s The Kitchen Maid. I really liked this Museum. There was an entire room dedicated to Rembrandt’s “The Night Watch.” There are laminated pieces that point out where things have been changed or restored over the years. It is really interesting all the things paintings go through.
Saturday
We woke up and went to an open air market right beside our hostel. There was lots of bread, fish, juice and even clothes. We got some really good pastries for breakfast. Then we went to go on a tour of the Heineken Brewery but it was closed for some renovations unfortunately. We were planning on going to the Van Gogh museum so we moved on.
The bottom floor held the Rembrandt Collection. It is 125 pieces that have been brought back to Holland from other countries. The top three floors hold a chronological collection of Van Gogh’s works. I really could have spent hours there. VVG is sort of the Beatles of the art world. He only made art for about ten years, but he created so much diverse art that has had a somewhat unparalleled impact. You never really know what a painting looks like until you get close to it so this was really exciting because Van Gogh’s Bedroom is one of my favorite paintings. I think most people that have been to my house have seen my attempt at it from middle school.
Afterwards, we went to Padi, an Indonesian restaurant. I was not too sure what I ordered but it was pretty good. Afterward we had a drink at Café de Jaren which we got a recommendation for. It was very beautiful and posh looking on the inside. Afterwards we saw the Red Light District, on the way we would pass Dam Sqare where a large carnival was taking place. The rainbows of light were really beautiful. The Red Light District is sort of like a very amped up Bourbon Street. Seeing all the women behind the glass brought to mind little cages. The whole thing made me feel a little icky. Also, I thought the District closed up at night, but the prostitutes stand there all day, too. Afterwards we went to this place called Wonder Bar where we sat on the floor on cu
shions and smoked hookah(flavored tobacco). We were so tired from the long day.Sunday
We checked out of our hotel and walked to the Rembrandt Museum and house. It shows both his work, his students and his studio. There was a floor full of his etchings which are really fantastic in there simple and abbreviated style that gives a really dramatic image. I watched a woman do a demonstration of print making that Rembrandt would do. She said he often changed something about the original metal etching through out, so each one is different. We got a quick lunch and went back to this really beautiful park where we watched people complete the Amsterdam marathon. Then we headed back to Amsterdam Central where we flew home.
I really thought Amsterdam was beautiful and I hope I can visit again some time. Plus, look at how good I look in clogs.
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