Amsterdam Madness

My friend Judy from Ashland is here for a visit before she heads to Mont Blanc for a Road Scholar tour.  Our first day in Amsterdam, we decided to go visit the Anne Frank museum, a short walk from our hostel. It was very well done and included the space where Anne and her family hid from the Nazis for a while until they were arrested and sent to the concentration camp, where all but Otto Frank, the father, died.  Upon his return to Amsterdam, he discovered her diary and other writings and decided to have them published.  A very moving and remarkable story and museum in her honor.

It's crazy here--bikes, mopeds, cars and people all competing for space at the same time. Intersections are madness and it's very stressful watching out for one's safety all the time.  Entering the quiet sanctuary of the Rijksmuseum was a welcome relief.   We spent hours there and still didn't see everything before heading off to the Van Gogh museum for our designated timeslot. This is a remarkable collection of paintings, drawings and letters to family members and artist friends of Van Gogh's. He led a pretty tragic life and committed suicide at the young age of 37. His bother Theo died six months later at which time Theo's wife started to market Van Gogh's paintings, with great success.  The rest, you could say, is history.

Bulb Museum

Kids playing in the fountain

Cheese shop/Museum

Post office turned into a shopping mall

Chandelier inside the mall atrium

Catching the ferry to our hostel