To a vast majority of people, whenever Amsterdam is mentioned, reflex questions about the infamous red-light district and cannabis coffee shops are sure to be asked.So, in answer to the "Did you.... I reply, "No and No" to both.
While some of our fellow student travelers did check out them out, most of us opted for Amsterdam's other venerable sights. Here are some high points:
- The Anne Frank House - located on Prinsengracht. Anne, her family and four others hid from the Nazis during WWII. Walking through the upper floors of the narrow house is a very sobering experience. For anyone who has read her diary, Anne's indomitable spirit and tragic end continues to resonate in that stark hideaway.
- The Canals - Absolutely, take a canal tour. Boats used to be the major means of transport of people and goods. From water level, a canal tour offers a unique and peaceful view of the city. Especially beautiful is the long perspective view of five canal bridges. Each one getting smaller in the distance.
- Rijkmuseum - This national museum contains familiar works by world renown Dutch masters. Words cannot describe what it's like to stand in front of Rembrandt's "The Night Watch" or Vermeer's "The Milkmaid." Simply breathtaking!
- Heineken Brauwery Tour -Although it stopped being a working brewery in 1988, it was firing on all cylinders in 1979. For a nominal fee, Janice, Jenny and I got right down on the floor with the gleaming copper vats, traipsed through the fermenting, storage and bottling rooms, then headed upstairs for a company movie and all the beer and cheese we could manage. By 11:00 AM, we were firing on all cylinders.
No comments:
Post a Comment