"Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalks again; we had longer ways to go.
But no matter, the road is life." -
Jack Kerouac

2007-12-01

Amsterdam

Bikes, canals, illicit substances, red lights, museums!

Amsterdam was great, with beautiful architecture and canals cut all throughout the city, more places to eat and drink then you could shake a stick at, and of course, all the other stuff that makes Amsterdam, Amsterdam (like MUSEUMS, jeez, what do you guys think I meant!). We spent a lot of time just walking around, learning that you don't necasarily have to participate in all of Amsterdam's seemingly-illicit activities to have a good time; watching crowds of people walk the red light district is entertaining in and of itself.

We also got to see the Anne Frank house and the M.C. Escher museum. The Anne Frank house was interesting, and had us wishing that we'd re-read the book in the last few years to remember more of her tragic story. Even without remembering all of it, the house did a good job of portraying what living for a couple of years in the same few rooms, constantly in fear of your life, might feel like. The Escher museum is located in De Haag, about an hour away from Amsterdam by train. It was neat, as they had almost all of his works on display there, along with some interactive displays where you could try to get inside one of his "impossible" prints.

Photos are located HERE. They are rated PG-13, so I (personally) wouldn't open them at work. Enjoy!

7 comments:

  1. Hello from ND! Haven't read the blog for a couple days, so I'm caught up now. Amsterdam sounds crazy, like in the novel, "A Widow For One Year". The Anne Frank house would be very interesting.
    Continue enjoying the trip and keeping us all informed. I did notice that Em is wearing her black scarf in all the photos. What's the weather like?
    Love,
    Mama S.

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  2. Mama S (Colleen), have you lost it?

    Emily's black scarf is the only thing getting her out of bed on some of these cold European winter days. Seriously.

    Mike

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  3. I don't remember participating in any illicit activities there. . . or much else about Amsterdam for that matter. . .

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  4. No I have not lost it.
    OK, the weather here was a balmy 39 degrees. How does that compare? I know you hate to discuss the weather, but it's a ND (and an old people thing). Humor me.
    Lea, Brittany and Daniel are here until Wed. We're having alot of fun.
    I'm happy that Emily is getting all that wear out of her scarf!
    Miss you and wish I was seeing half the cool places that you are.
    Love,
    Mom

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  5. Colleen, the weather is much too complicated for you (and me) as there is a formula to convert C to F. I do not have Microsoft Excel easily available, so I never know how cold it is except to say that it is cold for a Seattlite.

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  6. Oh my gosh EM!!! i was in Denmark the same time u were in amsterdam...thats just a hop skip and a jump away! nikki

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  7. Where's the PG-13?!?

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