After a quick flight from Paris we arrived in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Saturday 23rd June
With the morning flying we had afternoon to explore and we walked along many of the canals that are around the old area where we are staying. I read that the canals of Amsterdam have been part of the city's landscape since the early 14th century. However most of the current canals were built during the 17th century of Amsterdam's golden age.
The old part of the city no matter where you look its like you are looking at a post card. Its so lovely.
We discovered Skinny Bridge which we walked across and watched some boats travel under.
Skinny Bridge
There's a tale connected with this lovely and most popular bridge, which spans the Amstel River. The story maintains that two women - Magere Brugthe Mager sisters - lived on opposite sides of the Amstel River. It is said that they had this pretty bridge built in order to make it easier to visit one another. Mager is the Dutch word for "skinny".
Others, however, maintain that the nickname of the bridge merely stemmed from the fact that it was so narrow that two pedestrians could not pass each other as they walked across the structure.
While the bridge is still referred to as Magere Brug, it's no longer skinny, as the original span was replaced with a wider bridge in 1871. Pedestrians and bicycles can now cross the Amstel river with ease.
Skinny Bridge
One side of skinny Bridge
Looking down one of the canals
Ben and Paige being silly
One of the many houses that line the streets in the old section of the city
Paige and Ben at one of the cafe
Sunday 24th June
After a very nice breakfast we ventured out in the rain to see some of the sites around town.
Bernadette and Page dressed for the rain
The back of the Flower Market
We travelled by tram to the Flower Market. The row of small stalls had many different flowers and a huge range of flower bulbs, too many to count. We also discovered the local cheese in one of the Cheese stores. There were amazing amounts of choice of cheese. I enjoyed tasting the many of the samples, the weirdest one I thought was the smoked cheese, it was just like eating bacon.
The Flower Market
Many of the different flowers
Clogs and flower bulbs
A range of cheese on display
Ben checking out some of the cheese samples
Paige and the Cheese lady
While we walked around the city we discovered the Torture Museum and thought this may be interesting to see. The exhibition showed reality as it existed less than two centuries ago. It was really interesting to see what and how torture was used back in history. Pictures were shown throughout the display which gives an idea what the actual uses of the torture items and tries to give the visitor a sense of what it was like in medieval times
Ben at the front of the Torture Museum
The Inquisition Chair
The Iron Maiden
The Rack
The Royal Palace
We visited the Begijnhof which is a court yard in the city center. The court yard was very quite that was surrounded by houses and it was such a peaceful place in the heart of Amsterdam.
The Begijnhof
In about 1150, a group of women came together to live in a religious community, primarily to look after the sick. These were, in effect, the first ‘Beguines’ although the name was not yet used.
The women were not nuns and nor did they live in the seclusion of a convent. They had no founders nor did they make lifelong vows. They did have to be unmarried, to make a vow of chastity and to promise obedience to the parish priest, but since they were not expected to make a vow of poverty, they were free to dispose of their own possessions.
Enterance to the Begijnhof court yard
The Begijnhof court yard
Some of the houses in the court yard
Inside of the chapel in the Begijnhof
One of the stain glass window
Candles in the chapel
One of the statues in the court yard
Some of the many leaning houses
One of the many leaning houses
After doing a lot of walking around Amsterdam we had this this Why Do Buildings in Amsterdam Lean?
After doing some reaseach our question was finally answered.
The buildings in Amsterdam are built leaning forward on purpose. Even though it might look strange to our modern eyes, designing a building that leans forward, this way to build was a solution to another problem. The problem with these old buildings is that the stairways are always very narrow and steep. These stairways are impossible to use while trying to get furniture or any other big object to your house. These stairways are a consequence of the very narrow construction used in Holland at the time. That meant you had to pull your furniture up through your window. If you take a look at most old houses in Amsterdam you will see a hook placed on top their roofs. This is used to hang a wheel and use it with a rope to pull things up. While pulling big object up a building, it helps avoiding hitting the building with these objects if the building tilts forward. So that’s what they did. The rest of the buildings you see leaning to the side or on each other are probably a result of being there for 300 years and being built on a dry canal and under sea level which make the ground less stabile.
Monday 25th June
We were up early so we could visit the Anne Frank House and try to miss standing in the large line that we found yesterday when we went to vist in the afternoon.
One arrival to the house there was a small line that had formed but it wasnt too long so we didnt have to long of a wait.
The visit was quite an emotional one as I had read "Anne Frank's Diary" when I was younger and to be standing in the house brought the story to life. All the rooms were empty but on the walls there were pictures and you were able to get a feel for life in the house. I dont know how the family succeed for two whole years in hiding. The sad thing was evently the eight people in the house were found and Anne Frank didnt survive the war. It was quite sad.
The outside of Anne Frank's house
Pictures on the wall of Anne Frank in the first room of the house
The book case hiding the entry to the secret stairs
Anne Frank's room
The bathroom area in Anne Frank's house
Anne Frank's House
The former hiding place of the Frank family is one of the most popular attractions in Amsterdam. Many declare it to be one of the most touching places they've ever visited. Others describe it as "eerily realistic".
The Frank's hiding place was the secret annex of the Opekta office building, where Otto Frank was employed since arriving in Amsterdam. Preparation of the space began in early 1942 with the clearing of the attic and two floors. The building continued to appear vacant even after its eight residents moved in.
Our next stop was to the Van Gogh Museum. It was very interesting to see some of the art works up close and to see the brush strokes and the clours that Van Cogh had used was something you can not get a feel for in the reprinted images. Many of the images are well know but we got to see other less well know paintings that have not be reprinted.
The Van Gogh Museum building
The outside of the Van Gogh Museum
The Van Gogh Museum
The museum owns 200 of the 864 surviving paintings by this magnificent artist, best known for his unique style and famous works like Starry Night and Sunflowers. In addition to the paintings, the collection includes 437 drawings and 31 prints by the artist.
The permanent collection at the Van Gogh Museums also includes about 800 letters penned by the artist himself; some written to fellow artists like Paul Gauguin but many written to his brother, Theo, to whom Vincent often turned for guidance and support. The letters provide solid information and good insight into the life and works of this genius.
After leaving the museum we visited the Water Loop Lein flea Market.
Cds for sale
Shoes for sale
Ben finding camo for sale
Water Loop Lein Flea Market
The square itself has been created in 1880, on the place of the two canals, Leprozengracht and Houtgracht. Since 1893, a Jewish market has been created there, the biggest and the most important Jewish market in Amsterdam. This has been ended in 1941, with the persecution of Jews by the Nazi Germany. After the World War II, the Waterlooplein market was reborn, first as a general bazaar, then in the 60s and 70s of the XXth century, as a trading place connected with the youth culture. Amsterdam has been a magnet for the hippies from all over Europe and the Magic Center of the alternative Provo’s culture. Between 1977-1984, the market had to move, as on the Waterloo square, the huge white building of the town hall and the opera has been built. After construction has been completed, returned to its present location behind the Town hall (Dutch: het Stadhuis) the Waterlooplein market regained its importance.
Tuesday 26th June
We travelled to the Zaan region by train today. At Zaanse Schans we found Dutch traditional crafts are still in daily practice in a number of working windmills. We were able to see time-honoured skills as making wooden shoes, cheese and wooden planks in the wind Mills and the setting was just picturesque. It was nice to have the sun shining after two days of rain.
Paige on the bridge to Zaanse Schans
Inside the Chalk Mill
Inside the Saw Mill
Inside the Cheese Making Shop
One of the Wind Mills
Paige standing on the river bank
Clogs inside the Clog Making shop
The start of a pair of clogs
Paige trying on a pair of clogs
Paige and Bernadette trying on the over sized clogs
Paige and Ben in a clog
Outside one of the homes
One of the garden areas at Zaanse Schans
Paige, Bernadette and Ben
In the evening we walked through the red light district of Amsterdam. Most of the area now is very touristy its not until you walk down the small alleys you see the shop windows and shop doors where the ladies sit waiting for business. This area simply oozes charm and one cannot help but admire the old buildings that lean at odd-angles, and the tree-enshrouded canals.
One thing that has struck me about Amsterdam is the openess of the people in the city, the cafes that sell cannabis to over 18 year olds and the different items you can buy in the local shops.
A alley way in the Red Light District
Three doors in the Red Light District
Wednesday 27th June
Our last day in Amsterdam seen us vist The Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam which is one of the oldest botanic gardens in the world. There were more than 4,000 plant species growing in the garden and greenhouses. The Hortus is located in the Plantage district on the edge of the center of Amsterdam. Behind the 300-year-old gates there we found a greenhouse with butterflies and cacti, the monumental Palmhouse and the impressive Three-Climate greenhouse. Paige enjoyed finding all the plants on the map.
The enterance gates
One part of the gardens
Inside the palm display
One of the butterflies
Paige in the gardens
We then headed to the Museum Van Loon, a private residence built in 1672 by the architect Adriaen Dortsman. The first resident was painter Ferdinand Bol, a pupil of Rembrandt. The interior of the house has remained largely intact during the last centuries and you can still see some of the splendor of the Golden Age of houses in Amsterdam.
In the house we found in the rooms, a large collection of paintings, fine furniture, precious silvery and porcelain from different centuries on display. Behind the house is a beautiful garden, the garden is laid out in formal style, and is bordered on the far side by the classical façade of the coach house. It is said this this original unity of canal house, garden and coach house is nowhere else to be seen in the city.
Front door to the Van Loon Museum
Dinning Room
Main Bed Room
The kitchen
The back garden
Our stay in Amsterdam we found the city very pretty and easy to walk around. The people where very friendly and we were amazed at how many people rode bikes to get around. There was no lack of things to see and now matter how many times you visited the same part of the city there was always something that caught your ear and hear yourself saying "Isnt that pretty". The city has a layed back attuide to life and people dont seem to judge each other here.
Wedding Cake Tops
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