There is more to Amsterdam than the sex, drugs, and fast times.
In fact, Amsterdam is one of the most beautiful and unique places I have ever visited. The city was not hit hard during WWII, just occupied so a good amount of the original architecture is still in place.
Brick buildings, hundreds of years old lean, bow, twist and turn their way out into the canal lined streets. The building at any moment appear as if they are going to topple. Beautiful adornments on the top in stark white to provide contrast between the dark, charcoal grey or reddish brown brick buildings. It truly is a sight to behold and something terribly unique.
The canals are spread throughout the city, cutting most roads down the middle with trees on either side. Traveling amongst them is a way of life. In fact, living on them is too. There are houseboats off the major canals on the smaller ones. These houses are like any other, except small and efficient. This can all be seen on several episodes of house hunters international (a guilty pleasure of mine). In fact, I think I saw those episodes a time too many when planning for this trip.
Speaking of houses, there is a famous one here. One that many know of, yet not it's location. It is the secret annex of Anne Frank. I visited the now museum. Words cannot describe this place. The museum includes the warehouse where Otto, Anne's dad ran a business. He later had to sign over the business because he was Jewish. Anyway, the family went into hiding here just after the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. They hid in a two story apartment behind a moveable bookcase u until their discovery in late 1943. The family was taken to a concentration camp. Anne, her sister, and mom all died at the camp. Anne just a few weeks before the liberation. Otto survived, retuned to Amsterdam where he was given Anne's journals from where a family friend rescued them after the family was taken away. He later published them fulfilling Anne's dream of being a well known author. The museum is unfurnished, per Otto's request. However the rooms were re created for photographs in 1999 which are on display. The annex is very small and hard to maneuver around in. It is almost hard to believe that two families lived in here. The room Anne shared is still covered in postcards and clippings that she placed there while living in the annex. Nothing has been changed, just furniture removed. Thankfully, photos are not allowed creating an awing museum that rival's DC's holocaust museum.
Everything isn't what it seems on the surface. Dig a little deeper and it could get lighter or terribly dark.
-Until
Matt
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