I had a really really great day today! I went with Annet (Lois' mum) and Lois down to Amsterdam for the day. We woke up at 7 and were out of the house for the hour and a half drive by 8.30. After getting lost, its becoming quite a habit, Annet eventually found and dropped Lois and I off just near the Anne Frank house in the old part of the beautiful city.
I didn't have many expectations of Amsterdam because all I really knew about it was the legalised marijuana and the red light district so upon arriving I was very surprised at how pretty the city was. Lois and I queued up for about 40 minutes to get into the very house were Anne Frank lived during her time hiding out in the war. It was made into a museum by her father Otto Frank when he found out that Anne had been a victim of WW2. His goal was to reduce racism and prejudiced in the world and the museum really has an impact. We pretended to be 17 and got cheap entry and then spent a good hour or so exploring her house. The upstairs is just crazy because it has little things left from when the families were hiding out in there. Pictures on the wall, markings from where the children measured their height and all these other things they had to try and turn this place into a home. The story of Anne Frank become suddenly real to me and it was fascinating and saddening to see how these people lived for so long only to be caught out in the end anyway. We also saw her original diary on display in the museum too, which was pretty interesting to see. Definetly, if you are in Amsterdam, make an effort to see this place.
When we left, we pondered around looking for the next thing we wanted to do which was the Heineken Experience. On the way, however, we got distracted by my stomache saying it needed food and now. We ended up going to a restaurant in the middle of a square which was right in the middle of sooo many 'coffee shops' It was pretty funny that you can just go in in buy weed there and no one even batts an eyelid, there are even people smoking just outside and, yea.. very odd. After some re-feulling we walked to the Heineken Experience which was annoying because we were, before I got hungry, like right next to it but didn't realise... bah!
Heinekens original factory is in Amsterdam and has a museum type thing as well. You walk around learning about the beer and tasting the beer at different stages and learning about it. Its also really hands on and you can do things and watch things and interact the whole way. Its hard to explain it, but it was really good fun. At one point you go into a simulator room and become a beer going through the process, its really fun! Ha ha, also you get a lesson on how to taste beer which includes a free one then you at the end, you get 2 more free beers too! The history of Heineken was pretty interesting too and again, for any beer lover, go! It was really so much fun and my new love for beer has increased even more! So cool.
When we left the second awesome museum of the day we walked around the streets of Amsterdam looking around the canals and exploring what it had to offer. It is an very beautiful city and honestly, I was shocked at how nice it was. The architecture was stunning and the boats just add character and gave it an almost Venice vibe but in a more edgy way. Interesting. Hard to compare to anywhere else really.
We eventually (around 5ish?) caught up with Annet again who was waiting in a main square somewhere. We went into a tourist shop because she wanted to buy something then got our photo taken in a giant clog, which was funny but had to be done! Annet then wanted to show me the red light district which is... well, a red light district. Again, hard to compare to anywhere else because its Amsterdam. Whores in windows and sex shops galore, its a strange city.
After that, we went to go to the car but then Annet asked if we had done a boat canal tour of the city yet, they were a bit expensive when we saw them the first time so Lois and I didn't do it. Shocked, Annet said that we must do it and even paid for my ticket (which I reluctantly accepted in the end) on the condition that I take lots of photos, I did until my camera died... The tour was great though but it was funny because Annet and Lois were both going on about how silly they felt being a tourist. I just laughed and was all 'well I am a tourist so :P' ha ha. It was good though and I had extra details explained to me along the way. The tour went all the way around the canals and I really got to see the city from a very different perspective. Again, I was amazed. So cool. Oh! when you get on the tour there is one of those photographers who snap your shot as you hop on the boat. Lois and Annet just ignored the camera, like most people, but I was being stupid and give him a big cheesy smile and thumbs up knowing that I would never see the photo again and it was just stupid....so I thought, at the end of the tour everyones photos were put on display and were available for €3.00 each. I saw mine and laughed because its so stupid and has all the 'Greetings from Holland' stuff on it, such a touristic souvenir which Annet said I had to have because it was so good. So she got it for me... Its so stupid but it makes us laugh when we look at it so its good ha ha.
We then went to meet Lois' aunt whose name I am not going to attempt to spell but it started with S. Her aunt is very arty and was very welcoming and up for many-a-chats which was good. We stayed there for about 2 hours which included dinner and coffee and it was nice to just sit and chat and get to know each other some more. Everyone spoke English perfectly so it was good for me to understand what was going on. Lois' aunt also invited me to come back if I needed a place to stay if I came to Amsterdam again- nice. I might actually be going back down on Saturday the night before my flight because its much more practical than from Sneek.
The drive home was good fun just talking about whatever and learning more about Holland which is increasingly gaining my interest and respect. I think its such a cool country and there is so much to learn and do here. Like, the history of how the country started and that they built the land themselves is just fascinating. Hmm... I like Holland a lot.
When we got back, we spent a while oggling the new coffee maker that Annet purchased today and the way it was oggled was just funny but really reminded me of something we would have done at home in Australia. Just the way the family interacted and how Mark (Lois' dad) was making jokes and Annet was mock annoyed and I don't know, it was really nice but reminded me a lot of home. Many laughs were had all because of a coffee machine... Its golden.
Anyway, everyone has gone to bed now, leaving me in charge of the kitchen! Bwahaha! No, I am gonna go to sleep in my cinema room/ hotel now too! Long day and its now 12.30!!
A great day though.
Sleep Lekker
xx
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