Amsterdam

What a great city. As a history lover, I could have spent several days and still not have seen everything I wanted to, but as we only had one (Amsterdam was actually an overnight but on the second day my parents’ flight left at 12:00nn and I was on IPM) we tried to see as much as we could.

Because the hop-on-hop-off bus had been such a great option in Bergen, we decided to take the hop-on-hop-off canal boats through Amsterdam. It was a great way to see a lot of the city in a short amount of time.

I was surprised to see houseboats lining the canals; I guess I just did not expect it. Some of the boats were very nice and well maintained, some were just comical. 

 I have always been fascinated by those who fought against and/or survived the Holocaust. I suppose it is because I love the human spirit demonstrated by the Frank family, Corrie ten Boom, and everyone else who disagreed with Hitler and did everything within their power to defy him. If we had had time, I would have dragged my parents to both the Anne Frank Museum and the Hiding Place, but time being what it was I had to settle for walking by the Anne Frank Museum where the line was wrapped around the block. My dad took pictures of the line but I forgot to get them from him.

As usual, we decided to stop for a snack. As I am employed (and fed) by a company called HOLLAND America Line, I feel I know a thing or two about Dutch snacks. I convinced my parents that instead of pastries we should try to find kaassouffle. one of my favorite Dutch treats. Kaassouffle is the same idea as a mozzarella stick, deep fried cheese, but so much better (and I have nothing against mozzarella sticks; I love mozzarella sticks). I always know when my dad really enjoys a food because he puckers his face and says, “Oooohhhhh, that’s good!” This was his immediate reaction to kaassouffle.

It started raining as we were searching for food, so after our snack we decided to do the remainder of our sight-seeing from inside one of the canal boats. It was an absolutely beautiful city and a great way to end my time with my parents.