Fw: A Different Perspective Part 2
Trip Start
Aug 28, 2008
1
9
40
Trip End
Sep 24, 2008
Amsterdam,
Netherlands
Thursday, September 4, 2008
From: Jourdain, Steve
To: 'sjourdai.molly@travelspot.com'
Cc: 'hajourdain@hotmail.com'
Sent: Thu Sep 04 03:34:01 2008
Subject: A Different Perspective Part 2
Since we have left Haarlem computer access hasn't been the easiest to find,so I will do my best to remember the past few days. Took the train into Amsterdam just 15 min ride and the the tram to the Anne Frank house. This is quite the bustling city....lots of bikes to be aware of so you don't get run over! The Anne Frank House is amazing. It is very moving to go thru the rooms that Anne, her family, and 3 others lived in. The rooms are empty with just a few displays explaining the rooms. Her father, the only survivor after they were found and sent to the camps, wanted to keep the rooms empty.
We walked around Amsterdam to get a little more feel for the city, Lunch was on our own with about an hour before we met the group to go to the Rijksmuseum. Around the corner from where we had lunch was the flower market. Stall after stall you coule buy tulip bulbs, fresh flowers, and start-up marijunna kits!
Once back with the group we made our way to the Rijksmuseum...home to Rembrandt and other Dutch Masters. The detail in the paintings is just incredible! The still lifes look so real in person. So we wandered around the museum for awhile and then enjoyed the gardens outside.
After the museum we made our way to the famous red light district. Prostitution is legal here and the ladies rent rooms with a window and a room behind. You can wander up and down the streets and 'window' shop! Though we did learn there are men prostitutes in the red light diseict but they don't get windows....not vey good window shopping for us!
Back in Haarlem we stopped at a cafe for dinner. I had wanted to try the fries with mayonnaise because that is a Dutch thing. As most of you know, I hate mayo, but this mayo for dippiing your fries had a almost ranch dressing taste and was creamy. My fries disappeared in no time!!
