Amsterdam

It has been a while since my last post, and a lot has happened. In March I had to fly back home to New Jersey because my father suddenly passed away. Since then I have been trying to keep up with my school work and just stay positive! The blog has taken a back seat, but I am still keep my notes in my journal. I am going to do my best to get everyone up to date on my travels.

My first trip was to the beautiful lined city of Amsterdam. My friends and I took a Rail and Sail on the Stena Line. We left Liverpool Station in London and took an hour long train to Harwich Port on the Southeastern coast of England. We then boarded a small cruise ship that took us on an overnight trip to the Netherlands. We landed early in the morning in Hook van Holland and took a train to Amsterdam.

DAY ONE:

Amsterdam is a very walkable city. We were able to walk all the way from the train station to our hostel in the center of the city. We checked in and dropped our bags off in our room. Then we were off the the Van Gogh Museum. This modern museum takes visitors through different stages of the life of Vincent van Gogh from his beginnings as an artist in the Netherlands to his time in Paris and the French countryside.

Van Gogh was known for taking inspiration from other artists. This museum did an excellent job of pairing the original works that inspired Van Gogh with his versions. The museum also featured many of the letters and journal entries Van Gogh sent to his family members and friends. These writings chronicled major life changes and battles with mental illness.

After the museum we stopped by the iAmsterdam sign for a photo op!

DAY TWO:

On day two, we explored the center of the city and shops along the canal. In the afternoon we went to the Anne Frank Museum. Words can't describe how moving this experience was. The museum is in the original building where Anne Frank and her family lived in hiding. The front of the building was the original jam factory of Anne's father, Otto Frank. When the Nazi's began to occupy the Netherlands, Otto had to give up his factory. Eventually the family moved to the back of the house, called the Annex. Their secret apartment was hidden by a movable bookshelf.

The family spent months in hiding before they were discovered, after the Nazis received an anonymous tip about the family.

Today, the rooms of the house are now empty but the spirit of the Franks and van Pels can be felt throughout the museum. Videos and writings from those who knew and helped the family are played in each room. One older video even featured Otto Frank speaking about his relationship with his daughter. It was hard not to get emotional listening to him talk about Anne, still heartbroken over her death, decades later. It was truly a moving experience.

DAY THREE:

Our last day was certainly a fun one. We started out with a traditional breakfast at the Pancake House. My roommate Jenny and I split ham and cheese pancakes and nutella and banana pancakes. They were certainly worth the 20 euro price tag and were probably one of the best meals I had while abroad.

After breakfast we walked clear across the city to the Heineken Experience. We toured the original factory, sampled the beer and walked through rooms and rooms of Heineken marketing and advertising. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. It was a fantastic way to end our trip.

We left Sunday night on the rail and sail back to London. We mistakenly got on the wrong train to Hook van Holland and almost missed the boat. I was so nervous and worried that we would be stranded without a way to get back to London. But everything worked out and we made it on the boat. It taught me that things will go wrong while traveling but if you just relax, everything will figure itself out and life will go on. It's a lesson that came in handy just a few weeks later when I learned of my dad's passing. I just took it one step time until I got home. It's still difficult but am I trying to live by the famous U.K. motto, Keep Calm and Carry On.