I had an opportunity to visit two places in Holland last week and I was enchanted. I spent the most time in Amsterdam, a city as beautiful as Paris but with less pretension. It's hard to explain the affection I now feel for Holland, but I tried to capture some of it's whimsy and charms via photos.
If you have ever been to prison or college, this should look familiar. It is, in fact, my single-style hotel room in a place called The Kap Hotel, in Amsterdam. The bathroom was in the hall, which was gross but tolerable. The room was hot, the sweet smell of hash was occasionally present coming, I suspect, from the room next to mine, the bed was cozy, the shower was divine; all in all staying in such a place made me feel sleazy french, which I enjoyed in-between cursing the lifestyle I lead due to budgetary restrictions.
C'est Moi! Rick Steves turned me onto the Tuschinki Theatre, where I had the best time sitting in the balcony, taking self portraits, sipping my included-in -the-ticket-price glass of champagne while watching Pirates of the Caribbean in English, with Dutch subtitles. The theatre was museum beautiful with plush, red chairs, plenty of leg room and a little table in-between each seat for the setting of essentials, like champagne.
Amsterdam is full of canals. The only way I could ever figure out where I was or where I was going was via the canal system. My favorite canal and surrounding neighborhood was the Prinsengracht. I am pretty sure this is a picture of the Prinsengracht, but I took so many canal pics, I can't really be positive.
I went to several museums during my quick trip to Amsterdam, but the Anne Frank House (Anne Frankhuis) affected me the most. Original pieces of the house remain, including pictures on the wall of Anne Frank's bedroom. The presentation of the life and history of Anne Frank, the 7 others that lived with her in the secret annex, and the people that helped them survive there is exceptional. Near the end of the tour, there is a room devoted to various writings by Anne and Otto Frank, and a few other's. I was moved by these word's, as they reminded me how all people are so vulnerable and powerful and connected.
Horses with riders, a Coney-island style boulevard, a world-class sunset, all on the beach in Den Haag.
