No, I didn't buy any clogs
The last several days have been busy, busy, busy... and now I realize we only have a week and a half of class left! Yay!
Last week we decided to go all out and buy train tickets to Amsterdam. Holland is about 6 hours from Northern Germany by train, but it was surprisingly pleasant. I would gladly ride twice as long by train to get across America without flying. At least you have space to sleep, read, get up and stretch... Plus two of us got a deal and rode first class, which was very customer-friendly. The tickets were only about 100 each, which was outstanding for such a late purchase.
Once in Amsterdam we had a little difficulty with our Taxi. The driver drove us all over town before he found our place. Don't worry, I didn't let him charge us for any of that excursion, but it was still a little irritating to be stuck in the taxi for an hour. From our hotel we figured out how to take the metro into the city center every day, which was really easy and fun.
Friday we visited the Anne Frank House, Heiniken Brewery, and the oldest church in Holland. Anne Frank's museum-house was incredibly interesting, and quite depressing. It was eerie to walk through the place where her family lived, hidden from the Nazis. Everything is preserved, even the photos Anne pasted to the walls, but the rooms are completely unfurnished. There are monitors of interviews with people who knew Anne, and narrators reading her journal entries as you walk through.
And one of her actual journals is kept there. The most shocking thing was the actual records from Auschwitz and the other camps containing their names, and the death certificates.
Afterwards we weren't in incredibly good spirits but we knew there would be a wait at the brewery to get in, so we stood in line and relaxed a bit, looking at the city. The buildings are all monstrously tall there, but I guess in any city you're bound to see that. They certainly make good use of their vertical space. Even though Amsterdam seemed a little grungy and dirty, it was still gorgeous architecture and streets, and every other line of houses is punctuated by a canal with ferryboats and small rowboats.
The brewery was interesting, and we got a free Beer, but afterwards we were completely exhausted. We went back to the hostel that the boys were staying at (we were split into two groups overnight) ... and then the weirdos were out. During the day we saw an overwhelming amount of American tourists like ourselves. They came out to party at night, but with them came really old men and creepy shady characters with dreadlocks or shaggy beards. We kept it safe and just stayed inside people-watching. The next night, after going to the Van Gogh Museum (I saw a real Van Gogh... several! and a Picasso! and a couple others, but I don't remember any specifically right now, besides Cezanne, and what can you really say about apples that hasn't been said before?) we did go out and have a beer at the pub down the street and watched the soccer game. The streets are overflowing with cafes and pubs and bars, so some of the others went out but I just wanted to go to bed. We had done a lot of shopping, and everywhere we went in the city was by foot, so i was ready to head home. The next day we rode back, and I tried McDonald's for breakfast. It tastes exactly the same as it does at home :)
Yesterday was our paddle-boat ride. When Americans hear paddle boat they think of plastic boats to pedal with your feet. But this was a canoe, no buts about it. Apparently I get a little intense when it comes to boating, because one of my boat members got really upset with me, accused me of bossing him around, and refused to paddle for about thirty minutes. That was not pleasant, but I didn't think it was very mature of him. Some of these boys need to grow up a little. Anyway, it was all very fun the majority of the time (about two hours) and today I can feel a little acheyness in my shoulders and arms.
But I don't have much time to sit around and hurt... I took a nap earlier, and now I need to get ready for our Grill party, hosted by the volunteer fire department. They have been organizing tons of events for us, including yesterday's little exercise session. I'm looking forward to eating some good meat and maybe potato salad tonight.
I'll write again soon. Three more full weeks left to go, and counting, until I'm back in the states!
Last week we decided to go all out and buy train tickets to Amsterdam. Holland is about 6 hours from Northern Germany by train, but it was surprisingly pleasant. I would gladly ride twice as long by train to get across America without flying. At least you have space to sleep, read, get up and stretch... Plus two of us got a deal and rode first class, which was very customer-friendly. The tickets were only about 100 each, which was outstanding for such a late purchase.
Once in Amsterdam we had a little difficulty with our Taxi. The driver drove us all over town before he found our place. Don't worry, I didn't let him charge us for any of that excursion, but it was still a little irritating to be stuck in the taxi for an hour. From our hotel we figured out how to take the metro into the city center every day, which was really easy and fun.
Friday we visited the Anne Frank House, Heiniken Brewery, and the oldest church in Holland. Anne Frank's museum-house was incredibly interesting, and quite depressing. It was eerie to walk through the place where her family lived, hidden from the Nazis. Everything is preserved, even the photos Anne pasted to the walls, but the rooms are completely unfurnished. There are monitors of interviews with people who knew Anne, and narrators reading her journal entries as you walk through.
And one of her actual journals is kept there. The most shocking thing was the actual records from Auschwitz and the other camps containing their names, and the death certificates.
Afterwards we weren't in incredibly good spirits but we knew there would be a wait at the brewery to get in, so we stood in line and relaxed a bit, looking at the city. The buildings are all monstrously tall there, but I guess in any city you're bound to see that. They certainly make good use of their vertical space. Even though Amsterdam seemed a little grungy and dirty, it was still gorgeous architecture and streets, and every other line of houses is punctuated by a canal with ferryboats and small rowboats.
The brewery was interesting, and we got a free Beer, but afterwards we were completely exhausted. We went back to the hostel that the boys were staying at (we were split into two groups overnight) ... and then the weirdos were out. During the day we saw an overwhelming amount of American tourists like ourselves. They came out to party at night, but with them came really old men and creepy shady characters with dreadlocks or shaggy beards. We kept it safe and just stayed inside people-watching. The next night, after going to the Van Gogh Museum (I saw a real Van Gogh... several! and a Picasso! and a couple others, but I don't remember any specifically right now, besides Cezanne, and what can you really say about apples that hasn't been said before?) we did go out and have a beer at the pub down the street and watched the soccer game. The streets are overflowing with cafes and pubs and bars, so some of the others went out but I just wanted to go to bed. We had done a lot of shopping, and everywhere we went in the city was by foot, so i was ready to head home. The next day we rode back, and I tried McDonald's for breakfast. It tastes exactly the same as it does at home :)
Yesterday was our paddle-boat ride. When Americans hear paddle boat they think of plastic boats to pedal with your feet. But this was a canoe, no buts about it. Apparently I get a little intense when it comes to boating, because one of my boat members got really upset with me, accused me of bossing him around, and refused to paddle for about thirty minutes. That was not pleasant, but I didn't think it was very mature of him. Some of these boys need to grow up a little. Anyway, it was all very fun the majority of the time (about two hours) and today I can feel a little acheyness in my shoulders and arms.
But I don't have much time to sit around and hurt... I took a nap earlier, and now I need to get ready for our Grill party, hosted by the volunteer fire department. They have been organizing tons of events for us, including yesterday's little exercise session. I'm looking forward to eating some good meat and maybe potato salad tonight.
I'll write again soon. Three more full weeks left to go, and counting, until I'm back in the states!
posted by Authoress Amanda at 7:28 AM
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