European Vacation pt 2: The Netherlands

Amsterdam: City of Super Scary Bikers and Tolerance

For those of you who don't know me that well, there's probably something I should tell you before I start this blog. I'm afraid of bikes. I'm afraid of biking, bikers, and bikes themselves. They are a contraption that I have tried again and again to conquer, but to no avail. I don't know if it's because we moved a lot and didn't really focus much on biking, the fact that as a child I would rather just roller-blade, and now as an adult I am an inept biker, or if I just am completely incapable of biking. I really just don't know what it is. Every time I even try to bike, I inevitably fall off. So I've given up on biking. Bikers are fierce people though, especially in Europe, and I am quite afraid of being run over by a bike. Encounters with people on bikes usually send my heart beating out of my chest for a good minute or two.
So with that preface, let me tell you that there are over 1 MILLION bikes in Amsterdam. And bikers seem to have the right-of-way no matter what. Let's just say I screamed a lot. Well, I guess you'd say it was more of a shreak than a scream. But bikers aside, Amsterdam is wonderful, and everyone who is not on a bike is more than friendly. So, on with the blog:

My friends, Becca and Katie, and I decided maybe a month ago to go to Amsterdam for Easter. Looking back, I'm glad we did because all the Amsterdamers had work off both on Easter and Easter Monday (something we apparently don't celebrate in the States). And the weather was in the 70s so we got to see the Amsterdamers at their finest- on their boats or on the steps outside their houses, and enjoying life. Our flight got in at 830 am, so we basically had the entire day to explore the city. Our hostel gave us a map with some highlights already marked, so we walked our ways up and down the streets and around the canals. If you were not aware, Amsterdam has more canals than Venice. And my home town, Pittsburgh, has more bridges than Venice. So basically Venice needs to stop taking the spotlight, I say.

Necessary photo of the I amsterdam sign.

The first of many canals

 

So much cheese!

On our walk, we found the wonderful flower market, which is on one of the canals. It sold actual flowers and bulbs- all of which were tulips. Of course.

These are all flower bulbs

We finally decided to make our way to the Anne Frank House, but took a long way through the city, so we got to see this interesting carnival outside the royal palace (which actually no Dutch king has ever lived in since Amsterdam was a republic). There were all sorts of rides and the typical carnival food there, and we're still not sure why it was there. We think maybe for Easter but couldn't tell.
I had been wanting to go to the Anne Frank House for a while, especially since I'm interested in WWII stuff. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but it was quite a somber museum. The whole time, I just thought, 'Wow, I'm walking in the same place as Anne Frank did. I'm touching the kitchen counter that her mother made food on.' It was quite moving. It wasn't furnished, as Otto Frank asked for the furniture to be removed, but you could still get a sense of where things were. I think the part which got to me the most was the room which held Anne's actual diary and notes. It's hard to explain how it felt, but I'm so happy that I got a chance to see it all. After that, though, we decided we needed to eat our Easter candy and enjoy some wine to pick up our mood a bit. We went in search of a liquor store or grocery store to find some wine, but with no results. We ended up getting sangria at this Mediterranean restaurant, which was a bit overpriced, but it was Easter, so we felt it was ok to splurge a little.
On Monday, we went on a free walking tour- which isn't really free, seeing as the guides expect to get tipped at the end. It was still better than paying 18 Euro or whatever for a normal tour. Our tour began in front of the carnival which I mentioned before and ended at the Anne Frank House. A couple things that we learned on this tour were that Amsterdam is a very tolerant city. Which is why certain activities are allowed there. And also, there are three rules to whatever happens in Amsterdam: It must be discreet. It can't harm anyone. It must be good for business. Now, one can see why, despite the fact that weed is actually illegal in Amsterdam, it is not a law that is enforced strictly. Amsterdam is a city of tolerance.

Royal Palace

1st Buddhist temple in Europe

Old gate to the city when it was still walled

Dutch East India Company's old headquarters- Yeah I'm a history buff

 

Secret part of Amsterdam where nuns live.

 

Anne Frank statue

Since we had already been to the Anne Frank House, we opted for a paddle-boat ride on the canals instead. This was another terrifying experience, as all of the other boats on the canals have proper motors. We just had our legs paddling as fast as we could. We thought we were going to die a couple times, but it was still a pleasant view of Amsterdam.

Katie and Becca doing some paddling before we switched turns

House boat!

After our near-death experiences on the canals, we went to the House of Bols, which is basically a cocktail museum. It was 9,20 with our student IDs, and with that we got a cocktail and 2 shots of our choice. The museum focused on stimulating all of one's senses, but most importantly taste and smell. It was very interactive, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

As we had seen most of the city already, we settled on going to the beach on Tuesday. Our hostel had a partner hostel in Noordwijk, a little beach town an hour and half drive to the south. So we paid 4 Euro each way and went to the beach for the day. Let me tell you, the weather was not quite as warm as it had been the previous two days, and the wind off of the North Sea was quite brisk. Needless to say, we tried our hardest to make the best of our situation.

Despite the cold day at the beach, it was a great trip. I got to try Dutch pancakes and chips with satay sauce, and of course chips with "fritesauce" aka mayo. I would go back to Amsterdam in a heartbeat. I love the culture, the people, Dutch humor, and the lovely architecture. Who wants to join me?
Also- I have less than a month til I go home. I'm so not ready for it, but I hope you guys are enjoying my adventures. Safe travels!