Amsterdam

First off, incredible city. I'm sorry I didn't look more into studying abroad in Amsterdam because I never wanted to leave! Oh well, I guess I'd be saying the same about London if I had gone to school somewhere else.

First stop: Anne Frank House
Probably the best thing I did in Amsterdam, by far. And one of the most extraordinary exhibits I've ever seen in my life. We only had to wait in line for 30 min, and the exhibit worked it's way from the main hall, the warehouse and the offices, until we finally got to the landing with the movable bookcase. I think I almost cried (the first of many, many times). We then crawled up the narrow stairs (all the staircases were frightfully narrow!) into the bedrooms of Otto, Edith and Margot and then Anne and Fritz. Otto Frank wanted the house to be preserved just as the Nazi's had left it...sparse and destroyed. There were still a few pictures of the movie stars Anne had hung up in her bedroom, but many appeared to have been ripped off. At the end of the exhibit there were interviews with Otto Frank, Miep and one of Anne's childhood friends that she re-connected with in the concentration camp. I have to say at one point during the tour, when I noticed most of the people were gone from the room, I put my nose up to the window and tried to breath in the fresh air, just as I remember Anne Frank writing about in her diary.

Eissell and I walked back to the hostel, soaking up the delightful atmosphere of Amsterdam (and sun!). I couldn't get enough of the quaint, crooked 17th century canal houses! Then we spent the rest of the evening at the bar at the hostel, meeting some new people.

Next day we went to the Rijksmuseum, which I have to say I was not too impressed with. I loved the few Vermeers I saw (esp. The Milkmaid) but discovered I'm not much of a fan of Rembrandt, which the museum prominently features. Then we ventured off to the Leidesplein, stumbled upon Vondelpark on the way (our Central Park) and what would you know, it started to snow! We had some dutch pancakes (which were scrumptious) and eventually headed back to the hostel, where I enjoyed myself in the smoking room and then headed back out to some bars.

Third and Final Full day we started off my doing a marvelous (free!) walking tour of Amsterdam that included everything from The Red Light District and facts about pot to why the houses are crooked (they're all built on marshland that settles after 100s of years) and showing us the original building of the Dutch East India Company and the Old Jewish quarter. After the delightful tour, we went to our next and final hostel which was on a boat. A bit smelly and very cramped, but cozy all of the same. I then headed off on my own to the Van Gogh museum, which I enjoyed so much more than the Rijksmuseum. I've alwayed liked Picasso, but I absolutely feel head over heels in LOVE with him here. They had a special exhibit on him and his life in Paris, and focused on his transition from the blue period to the rose period. I enjoyed the Van Gogh's a lot too, but I have to admit, not as much as the Picassos!

Then back to the boat hostel, where I fell asleep for over 3 hours and missed heading out to the coffee house with some new friends (oh well) and then walked around with Eissell in the fog to soak up our last night in Amsterdam, finished off with some deliciously greasy noodles mmmmm.

And back in London I am!