Today, we explored the town some more. The first thing we did was return our bikes. The last thing I wanted to do was get on my bike - but we needed to get them back, so the sooner, the better. Gary, for his part, had ridden his bike around town that morning. Meanwhile, my ass screamed in tender pain when I settled it back on the bike seat.
Next time, I think I'll rent a bike for around town - and pass on going North - at least by bike!
From Centraal, we went to the Anne Frank House, but it had a long line (as we knew it would,) si instead we went to do a walking tour of the red light district, complete with views of sex shops, live sex shows (we didn't actually go in to see one), and of course, the prostitutes in the windows. It was a very surreal experience. It was funny watching to hookers, and funny watching the uys knock on the windows and negotiate... but when you saw guys walk out and look around, well, that's when it was weird - like - dude, that guy just totally got some.
It was very different in the day time as I had always imagined it at night - but seeing as how it doesn't get dark until 11 ish, and that is when it is supposed to get more seedy and dangerous. Plus (and I don't want to sound like a complainer, although I probably will to some,) my legs are SO SORE right now, they feel like they are constantly on the verge of cramping. I don't think I could walk to the trolley stop, much less into the red light district tonight!
After the red light district (at that point, my legs were still feeling okay) we went to the Van Gogh museum and spent about an hour and a half there.
Finally, we went back to the Anne Frank House. There was still a line, but it was not too long. Gary opted to head back to the boat, while Grant and I did the Anne Frank house. It was very interesting to see what the houses were like on the inside. Every room was illustrated with quotes from Anne's diary. You start out walking through the offices of Otto's business, and then walk through the hallway and behind the bookcase that led into the secret annex. The rooms were raided after the occupants were arrested, and Otto wished them to stay that way, rather than be refilled with furniture to recreate what it was like when they lived there. Furniture would have helped visualize how tight the quarters actually were, but in retrospect, with so many people walking through every day, there would be very little room to move - you probably wouldn't get to walk into the rooms, but rather just walk by them behind a rope, so this way was much better. After the annex, you walk through a glass tunnel that was built to connect the Anne Frank house to the one next door, and then you move through a room which talks about Auschowitz, Bergen-Belson, and the fate of the 8 who hid in the annex (only Otto, Anne's father, survived.)
All in all, it was a neat experince, but it was hard to get too emotional - I think because the quarters were so tight and there were so many people moving through it. It felt too busy to give me any time to reflect. I can't wait to reread the book with all of these images fresh in my mind. I was in the rooms she lived in and wrote the diary in!
Now we are back at the houseboat. Grant and I ordered Dominos and had it delivered. Now, before you chastise us, you should know that pizza is one of the most popular foods here in Amsterdam, so we WERE eating like locals. I took a bath to help my legs (didn't help much,) and were doing laundrey and getting ready to pack. Tomorrow, we leave our houseboat and head to Brussles!
Next time, I think I'll rent a bike for around town - and pass on going North - at least by bike!
From Centraal, we went to the Anne Frank House, but it had a long line (as we knew it would,) si instead we went to do a walking tour of the red light district, complete with views of sex shops, live sex shows (we didn't actually go in to see one), and of course, the prostitutes in the windows. It was a very surreal experience. It was funny watching to hookers, and funny watching the uys knock on the windows and negotiate... but when you saw guys walk out and look around, well, that's when it was weird - like - dude, that guy just totally got some.
It was very different in the day time as I had always imagined it at night - but seeing as how it doesn't get dark until 11 ish, and that is when it is supposed to get more seedy and dangerous. Plus (and I don't want to sound like a complainer, although I probably will to some,) my legs are SO SORE right now, they feel like they are constantly on the verge of cramping. I don't think I could walk to the trolley stop, much less into the red light district tonight!
After the red light district (at that point, my legs were still feeling okay) we went to the Van Gogh museum and spent about an hour and a half there.
Finally, we went back to the Anne Frank House. There was still a line, but it was not too long. Gary opted to head back to the boat, while Grant and I did the Anne Frank house. It was very interesting to see what the houses were like on the inside. Every room was illustrated with quotes from Anne's diary. You start out walking through the offices of Otto's business, and then walk through the hallway and behind the bookcase that led into the secret annex. The rooms were raided after the occupants were arrested, and Otto wished them to stay that way, rather than be refilled with furniture to recreate what it was like when they lived there. Furniture would have helped visualize how tight the quarters actually were, but in retrospect, with so many people walking through every day, there would be very little room to move - you probably wouldn't get to walk into the rooms, but rather just walk by them behind a rope, so this way was much better. After the annex, you walk through a glass tunnel that was built to connect the Anne Frank house to the one next door, and then you move through a room which talks about Auschowitz, Bergen-Belson, and the fate of the 8 who hid in the annex (only Otto, Anne's father, survived.)
All in all, it was a neat experince, but it was hard to get too emotional - I think because the quarters were so tight and there were so many people moving through it. It felt too busy to give me any time to reflect. I can't wait to reread the book with all of these images fresh in my mind. I was in the rooms she lived in and wrote the diary in!
Now we are back at the houseboat. Grant and I ordered Dominos and had it delivered. Now, before you chastise us, you should know that pizza is one of the most popular foods here in Amsterdam, so we WERE eating like locals. I took a bath to help my legs (didn't help much,) and were doing laundrey and getting ready to pack. Tomorrow, we leave our houseboat and head to Brussles!
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