Amsterdam Part Two: Holy Cow - Cheese, Pancakes and History

            On Saturday morning we woke up early in hopes of conquering a fully packed day. We were up, dressed and out the door by 7:30 AM. Our first stop of the day was the Anne Frank House and it was necessary to get there early, so that we may avoid long lines. This was certainly an opportunity I did not want to miss on my weekend in Amsterdam.

A wonderful Saturday morning in Amsterdam. The sun was shining, bikes passed by and I smiled at how lucky I was to spend the weekend in the city I loved so much!

            We were at the Anne Frank House by 8:00 AM and lucky for us, we were almost at the front of the line. We waited for just under an hour enjoying a cup of coffee and speaking with others who shared a similar passion to not miss out on such a special opportunity. I also really appreciated how the museum gave us information pamphlets as to pass the time, but also inform us on what exactly we were about to see.

I love all of the colorful art decorating the city of Amsterdam. All of the bicycles aligning the canals and streets give Amsterdam a very special and local feel.

I marveled at the architecture in Amsterdam. I love all of the
brass iron railways and brick buildings.

          Inside the museum, I was absolutely floored by all that was around me. There were videos about WWII and the Holocaust and interviews with Anne Frank’s family and friends. We also saw actual items that had been part of the house and replications of what each room looked like. As we entered the house and walked our way up to the Annex, I felt myself slowly becoming overwhelmed with the hardened facts in front of me. The narrations and artifacts were relics attesting to a horrifying past. I was forced to see something that I could not even begin to conceptualize as a possible reality. We hiked up a very steep staircase, through the hidden bookcase and entered into the annex. In here, the windows were bordered up and the room was barren. All that remained were the outlines of a kitchen counter and where I might imagine furniture to be. The lack of items in the room portray the state of the annex its state after the Franks had been forced out and the Nazis took it over. Anne Frank had hung pictures and posters on her bedroom wall as to breathe life into the hallows of a very silent place. As this was pretty much the only form of decoration, I felt as if I was experiencing the hope and bright velocities of life sharply undertaken by the repulsive capability of human hatred. I left this room with a lump in my heart and anger for the horrors of what was and shouldn’t have been.

We proceeded into a room that housed a collection of Anne Frank’s writings. We read her telling of life in the annex and how she passed the time with her family and friends. I was so inspired that despite living a life defined by unconfined fear, she still found a way to share all the things in life she loved and everything the world had waiting for her. I loved hearing about how she hoped to one day become a writer and publish her accounts of her life in the Annex. Thanks to her father, her dream was realized. The diary is forever a place to remember how bright life can be and the horrors of cutting it short.

I love how peaceful this city is on a Saturday morning. I began to enjoy all the wonders of Amsterdam and think back on what could have been like during WWII.

In the last few rooms, we heard stories from Otto Frank, Anne Frank’s father and others on their accounts of the Holocaust and the repercussions of the diary. We later heard of how the diary had influenced people around the world. I too began to reflect on how the diary had played a role in my own life. I love studying politics and understanding the way in which the world comes together in peace, but also in times of war. My time in the Anne Frank House really allowed me the opportunity to see the importance of what I am studying in school and the reality of the world. Despite all that we had experienced in the museum, I felt inspired that I too had an important role in the collective whole and that we all have the capability to be part of change. We all must reach for the stars in our dreams and remember that our differences are those to be shared and celebrated. I take this with me beyond my experience at the Anne Frank House. The diary is forever a place to remember the past and a hope that we can change it. 

After the museum, we walked along the streets of Amsterdam and I couldn’t quite shake a very odd feeling. These streets I walked along on that Saturday morning were endowed with so many dramatic historical events and memories from WWII. Of course I knew this prior to the museum, but the feelings and emotions I had experienced in the house were so surreal and they remained after my visit. These emotions transcend future generations so that the memories of the past will never be lost. That is the promise of such a powerful place.

A very beautiful Amsterdam. I can believe how much culture and history lies in the city.

The Pancake Bakery! So much deliciousness waiting inside!

It was quite an emotional morning and we decided to reflect over breakfast. It was really wonderful that we went to the museum so early, because not only did we avoid the long line now in full swing by 10:00AM, but had the entire day still in front of us. For breakfast, we went to a place named The Pancake Bakery. This breakfast spot serves the most wondrous savory and sweet pancakes. We were so overwhelmed with choices that we decided to split a few dishes between the three of us. We ordered a classical favorite, bananas and nutella, a seasonal favorite, cinnamon apple with ice cream and a savory pancake, sundried tomato, cheese and pesto. Delicious! Massive pancakes filled up an entire plate and our table smelled of the most salivating flavors. I poured on my sweet pancakes the most delicious syrup that was on our table and that I have only been able to find in Amsterdam. It was delicious and I loved how it tasted more like a rich molasses rather than light syrup. I also really enjoyed how tow the pancakes were really thin. We could eat up all three and not feel overly full and rather sick after. Breakfast is one of my favorite meals and this place certainly took the cake, or should I say pan “cake.” It was definitely one of my top five favorite meals abroad so far. I will certainly recommend this place to my other friends traveling to Amsterdam and a spot I return to on my next visit. We paid for our meal and the sweet postcard of the bakery they left on out table was a wonderful treat. In penciled drawing, bakers kneaded the dough and flipped pancakes inside the Pancake Bakery. I have been collecting postcards as I travel throughout Europe and this is certainly one of my favorites. With smiling faces and full bellies we headed back out to explore the city of Amsterdam on this sunny Saturday morning.

Banana and Nutella Pancakes!

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes!

Pesto, Mozarella and Tomato Pancakes!

Festival pumpkins at the farmer's market!

We made our way through the streets of Amsterdam and popped in and out of various shops. There was a wonderful farmer’s market in full swing and we decided to explore all of its wonders. Fresh baked breads and cheeses, harvest pumpkins and produce and local wear adorned white tents and gave the market the feelings of fall. Along the way, we spotted the Amsterdam Cheese Museum and this proved a necessary stop. Wafting smells of cheese welcomed us and we tasted all sorts of wonderful cheeses, spreads and crackers. Inside the museum we dressed up in cheese maiden outfits and had a laugh posing for a picture and sharing it on Facebook. We were you’re modern day chees maidens if I don’t say so myself. Next door, was the Tulip Museum. We didn’t go into the actual museum, but it was a lot of fun to walk through the entrance shop and see all of the Tulip decorations. We left the museum and made our way onto our next planned visit of the day.

Delicious breads at the farmer's market! I was so temped to buy a loaf and be on my way in whole wheat happiness!

Some lovely Cheese Maidens!

Heineken Brewery! We were all excited to get inside and begin our tour.

My very own Heineken. Cue the
green lights.

It was a wonderful afternoon in Amsterdam full of so much fun inside the Heineken Factory. We had a chance to learn about about the brewery process and history of the company and also enjoy a rather light-hearted adventure. The Heineken Experience was extremely well done. We saw all the variations of branding the company had gone through, learned and even tasted ingredients such as the grains that go into the recipe and walked through the large brewing stall. I really loved how tradition played a very important role in the company. This was marked clearly by the fact that outside the brewery was a horse stable. These horses were the original transportation for the beer out into the city of Amsterdam and onto the canals. Today, the horses may not be doing the physical delivery, but they are still part of the Heineken tradition. One of my other favorite moments in the Heineken experience was the virtual brewery. We entered into a theatre that simulated how a Heineken beer is brewed. The floor shakes as the grains are sifted, heat lamps boil the brew and mist foamed the top. I felt like I was in Disney’s “A Bug’s Life,” Heineken edition. Next we walked into a white room set up with star shaped bars. A red star hung on the wall and next to it a caption explaining the trademark Red Heineken Star. We learned all about the Heineken branding and tried a taster of the beer. This was great fun and we made our way next into a series of rooms where Heineken advertisements and backgrounds were set up for pictures. Grace and I took a picture on the Heineken bikes and Jane and I found ourselves once again consumed by the digital cameras. We sent our family and friends picture and video messages from the Heineken Factory. After learning all about the brewing process, it was time to actually try a pint of Heineken. When you buy a ticket for the tour, you receive two free beers and a special novelty gift. This was absolutely wonderful and we made our way through strobes of green Heineken lights and into the bar. I loved how the bar tables were maps and had virtual coasters. You place your drink on a particular place and information about your spot of choice pops up! After enjoying our beer, we made our way through the last bits of the tour and onto the gift shop. I took the mini glass they gave you as you leave and had it engraved. It was a very special and rather personal way to remember quite the fun afternoon. The Heineken Experience was extremely well done and full of such much energy. Every adventure along the tour told a story of Heineken for which I had previously not known. Everyone was so friendly and excited to share the traditions and history of Heineken with all who visit. I know that with my future Heinekens I will think back to this experience and all the fun my friends and I had here.

Grace and I riding our Heineken bikes. We had too much fun setting up scenes and snapping pictures.

Canal tour! Love the little Dutch clog setting at the front of the boat.

The thinnest house in Amsterddam. Quite small compared to its neighbors.

My friend and I enjoying the canal tour! It was
wonderful to see the city and relax for a bit.

After the Heineken Experience it was late afternoon and we were moving onwards to our next adventure of the day. A bunch of us decided to take a canal tour. We bought our tickets and passed the time before our tour with some delicious chips! Amsterdam is known for really tasty chips, so we figured it was the perfect opportunity to try some. I adorned mine in cheese and ketchup, my favorite condiment, and was instantly transported to chip-happiness. I had done a canal tour on my last visit to Amsterdam, but it was great to do this tour at night when the sun was beginning to set and the warm red and purple hues of the sky sparkled against the water. I really think the canal tour is one of the best ways to see Amsterdam.  You pass through so many important places and hear stories about all parts of Amsterdam. We floated by the skinniest house in Amsterdam and learned how houses were once taxed by width. I also really enjoyed passing by the marine museum where a replication of a large shipping boat was anchored and 18^th and 19^th century boats waded in the water nearby. Additionally, we passed by a particular spot where you can see a series of cascading bridges adorned in lights and sparkling against the water. We also boated by the Lock Bridge, which was decorated in lights and learned how it was once so thin and now widened. The story of the Lock Bridge goes that two sisters built the bridge so that they can easily go visit each other on the other sides of the canal. This story reminded me of my sisters and all the travels we shared. I love learning all these stories on the canal tour. It reveals a very special part of Dutch tradition and history. These tales send me back in time and remind me of all sorts of experiences with my family and friends.

The reconstructed trading ship anchored proudly as we passed by the ship. I love learning about all of the marine history there is in Amsterdam.

At this spot you can see a cascading sea of bridges decorated in bright lights. It so beautiful and festive this time of year.

I love how the city lights sparkle along the canal. This city is so very magical!

After the canal tour it was now evening and we all met up back at the hostel. We made plans for dinner and our last night in Amsterdam. This dinner was particularly exciting for me because I was able to meet up with my cousin who lives in Amsterdam! She rode her bike to our hostel and together, with my friends, we all walked to a nearby restaurant. We had the most delicious dinner of fresh pastas and salads and I had the chance to catch up with my cousin who I had not seen since my last visit in July. This was a really great evening and my friends enjoyed sharing stories of our visit in Amsterdam and learning from Alexandra about her life living here. Additionally, Alexandra had a chance to meet some of my friends from both home and abroad and learn about our experiences traveling through Europe these past few months. Alexandra travels a fair amount and she inspires me to do the same. I love hearing her stories abroad and now having the ability to share some of my own. It was absolutely wonderful to meet up and reconnect these past few months. I hope that we may visit each other again soon, but am happy to know that we will stay in touch beyond my time in Europe.

A very beautiful Amsterdam! I was so lucky to spend my day exploring the city.

Enjoying the views of the canal and the city I love so much. I hope to be back in Amsterdam so very soon!

We made our way back to the hostel and enjoyed a rather low-key evening. It was nice to simply spend time in the hostel restaurant and pub and met other people traveling through Amsterdam. After quite the long day, we soon found ourselves back in our room and swiftly falling to sleep. Tomorrow still held the promise of a few final ventures before I depart back to Edinburgh. The day was fully packed with such a variety of experiences, but I would not have it any other way. I felt such a spectrum of emotions today, but I felt inspired by every single one of them. They each shared a different story of Amsterdam and became part of my very own experience here. I love how much of the city we conquered in one day, but I felt that there was still so much for me to explore. I guess I am due for another visit! On Sunday morning we would enjoy our last little bit of Amsterdam before the weekend was over. I looked forward to all the fun that awaited in the morning and hoped to spend the last few hours in Amsterdam to it’s fullest.