Hallo!
This weekend I got to visit Amsterdam for a second time. (The first time doesn't really count because it was only for about 8 hours during my layover when I first came, but I recognized a lot so I'm counting it!) We took a train from Luxembourg to Brussels to Amsterdam Centraal Station. On our way, we saw some of the famous tulip fields. It made me so excited that we were visiting the Keukenhof Gardens the next day. The colors were so vibrant and beautiful! We did a combination ticket through Viator that included: a canal tour, skip the line Van Gogh museum tickets, and tickets to the Keukenhof Gardens with transportation. (It was a pretty good deal!) We went and redeemed them with our voucher first since it was right across the canal (not the street, the canal) from the train station. Then we walked to our bostel (boat hostel) and dropped off our backpacks. We had our own room and bathroom (about the size of a closet) which was nice! It was a little bit off the beaten path but the location was pretty good!
This weekend I got to visit Amsterdam for a second time. (The first time doesn't really count because it was only for about 8 hours during my layover when I first came, but I recognized a lot so I'm counting it!) We took a train from Luxembourg to Brussels to Amsterdam Centraal Station. On our way, we saw some of the famous tulip fields. It made me so excited that we were visiting the Keukenhof Gardens the next day. The colors were so vibrant and beautiful! We did a combination ticket through Viator that included: a canal tour, skip the line Van Gogh museum tickets, and tickets to the Keukenhof Gardens with transportation. (It was a pretty good deal!) We went and redeemed them with our voucher first since it was right across the canal (not the street, the canal) from the train station. Then we walked to our bostel (boat hostel) and dropped off our backpacks. We had our own room and bathroom (about the size of a closet) which was nice! It was a little bit off the beaten path but the location was pretty good!
We hurried over to the Iamsterdam sign since the sun was still out that evening (the forecast for the weekend wasn't promising). It was quite the time to try and get on top of the letters (and even more of an accomplishment in worn out Toms that have no traction on a slippery metal letter). It was fun though! The letters are located in the Museumplein, where the Rijksmuseum and the Van Gogh Museum can be found. We went to the Van Gogh Museum right after. I was so excited! The museum was set up really cool. The exhibits followed his life, interests, and education. I got to see some of his famous paintings, Sunflowers, and others that I didn't know he painted. There were also sketches that he had done and exhibits that showed some of his paintings up close. One was Seascape near Les Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, where under a microscope you could see the grains of sand that the wind blew up onto the artwork as he was painting. You could also see (under a microscope as well) his wet on wet technique, where he wouldn't let one color of paint dry but painted on top of the colors and they would combine with each stroke. It has easily become one of my favorite art museums that I've ever been to. We left just as the museum was closing. We headed over to the Dam because there was a carnival going on for King's Day (the King's birthday) this weekend. We got street food for dinner and walked around talking about how the rides were gigantic compared to what we had seen back in the US. It was such a good (second) first day in Amsterdam!
Saturday morning we started with the Anne Frank House. We bought our tickets online and got to skip the line (which went all the way around the block!) for our 9:30 time. It started with an introduction to the family and the general history at the time. Personally, I knew quite a bit about the family going in, but I learned a lot about Anne's parents, Otto and Edith, that I hadn't originally known. Once the introduction was over, we toured the warehouse and annex at our own pace. It immediately hit your emotions hard. Otto Frank had decided, when he opened the house as a museum, to keep it empty. There had been furniture in it only at one time to take pictures to show what the rooms would have looked like. It was symbolic of what those who had survived the Holocaust would have come home to. That emptiness really stuck with you as you walked from room to room. Also, it already felt small so I couldn't imagine having furniture in there plus 8 people for two years and a month. As you walked around there were quotes from Anne's diary on the walls. There were also videos of those that had some sort of relation to the Frank family, from family members to acquaintances. I have learned about WWII, the Holocaust, and about the Frank family, but seeing in person just makes it so much more heartbreaking. At the very end, there were quotes from those that were effected by Anne's story either through film, knowing her, or even just visiting the house. It was an experience that I will never forget. The house is symbolic of not only Anne Frank but all of the others that died in the terrible tragedy of the Holocaust. It is important to have a standing reminder so that history will never repeat itself.
After the museum, we walked around the area a little bit. Then we went to brunch at the Pancake Bakery. I had a banana pancake with nutella! It was thicker than a crepe but thinner than a pancake. And it was still fluffy! It was so delicious! Once we had finished eating, we started figuring out how to get to the bus stop we needed for the Keukenhof Gardens. We made it to the airport where we caught another bus to the gardens. On our way, we passed so many beautiful tulip fields! We got off the bus and walked into the gardens. The amount of different kinds and colors was amazing! They were all so pretty! We walked around a little and then got to see the Van Gogh in bloom exhibit! It was interesting to see the picture of it just being dirt and tulip bulbs to the blooming finished project! We found out that the Flower Parade was the day that we were there so we found the route. There were so many people but the floats were really pretty. We had seen a couple and were about to go back into the park when one that looked really impressive was coming up. There was no way to see because we had lost our spot so I climbed the giant Keukenhof Gardens sign to see. Was it a good view! (It was a little dangerous but it was worth it!) Then we went back into the gardens because mostly everyone was at the parade. The air smelled so sweet everywhere you went from all of the flowers. It was so much fun! I could have stayed there forever and ever. But, we had to head back to Amsterdam. When we got back in the city, we decided to do our canal tour. It was a little hard to hear the commentary as we were going around the city but our captain would tell us the need to know information. For example: the water the canals is fresh water; the canals are 3 meters deep (1 m water, 1 m dirt, and 1 m of bicycles); he also showed us the dancing houses. The houses along the canals just make the city that much more perfect. If you go to Amsterdam, it's true, the canal tours are the best way to see the city. Saturday night, we were exhausted so we headed back to our bostel but stopped at the GIGANTIC floating Chinese restaurant, the Sea Palace on our way. It can seat up to 900 people. We didn't have a reservation so the wait time was an hour but we got in earlier than that and got a table next to the window. It was really really really good food. Totally worth it!
After the museum, we walked around the area a little bit. Then we went to brunch at the Pancake Bakery. I had a banana pancake with nutella! It was thicker than a crepe but thinner than a pancake. And it was still fluffy! It was so delicious! Once we had finished eating, we started figuring out how to get to the bus stop we needed for the Keukenhof Gardens. We made it to the airport where we caught another bus to the gardens. On our way, we passed so many beautiful tulip fields! We got off the bus and walked into the gardens. The amount of different kinds and colors was amazing! They were all so pretty! We walked around a little and then got to see the Van Gogh in bloom exhibit! It was interesting to see the picture of it just being dirt and tulip bulbs to the blooming finished project! We found out that the Flower Parade was the day that we were there so we found the route. There were so many people but the floats were really pretty. We had seen a couple and were about to go back into the park when one that looked really impressive was coming up. There was no way to see because we had lost our spot so I climbed the giant Keukenhof Gardens sign to see. Was it a good view! (It was a little dangerous but it was worth it!) Then we went back into the gardens because mostly everyone was at the parade. The air smelled so sweet everywhere you went from all of the flowers. It was so much fun! I could have stayed there forever and ever. But, we had to head back to Amsterdam. When we got back in the city, we decided to do our canal tour. It was a little hard to hear the commentary as we were going around the city but our captain would tell us the need to know information. For example: the water the canals is fresh water; the canals are 3 meters deep (1 m water, 1 m dirt, and 1 m of bicycles); he also showed us the dancing houses. The houses along the canals just make the city that much more perfect. If you go to Amsterdam, it's true, the canal tours are the best way to see the city. Saturday night, we were exhausted so we headed back to our bostel but stopped at the GIGANTIC floating Chinese restaurant, the Sea Palace on our way. It can seat up to 900 people. We didn't have a reservation so the wait time was an hour but we got in earlier than that and got a table next to the window. It was really really really good food. Totally worth it!
This morning we slept in! We did everything we had planned and the weather was gloomy. We went to breakfast and then went to Amsterdam Centraal Station to start our journey back to Luxembourg.
I loved Amsterdam. I'm glad I got to go back for a second time. It was most definitely worth it and I will be back again someday. I would suggest it to anyone and everyone! I can't believe I only have 2 and a half weeks left. This week I have classes, then this coming weekend I'll be traveling to Lisbon, Portugal, then one last week of classes, a weekend staying in Lux, and then exam week! It's all coming up so quickly. I cannot believe has been almost a whole semester already! IT'S CRAZY!
Spreek je snel,
Kirsten
I loved Amsterdam. I'm glad I got to go back for a second time. It was most definitely worth it and I will be back again someday. I would suggest it to anyone and everyone! I can't believe I only have 2 and a half weeks left. This week I have classes, then this coming weekend I'll be traveling to Lisbon, Portugal, then one last week of classes, a weekend staying in Lux, and then exam week! It's all coming up so quickly. I cannot believe has been almost a whole semester already! IT'S CRAZY!
Spreek je snel,
Kirsten