Amsterdam - Friday, April 17, 2015

Well, I finally got some much needed sleep last night.  I probably could have slept several more hours, but the plan this morning was to visit Ann Frank's hideaway, which required an early wake up.

Upstairs, behind this building, Anne Frank.

I don't have any photos to share of the inside of this house as no cameras are allowed.  I must say, I didn't think walking through this space would affect me in such an intense way.  Yet it did.  I just cannot fathom how the Germans could justify their actions and the terrible atrocities that they afflicted.  I just don't understand that kind of hatred.  I kept thinking of Ann and her family stashed away in hiding for a year and a half.  How sad and horrifying that must have been.  And what kind of person would "rat them out to be captured?"  I left Ann Frank's house heartsick and in tears.  

Our ride for the Canal Tour.

We definitely needed a little pick-me-up after the morning we spent at the Ann Frank Museum.  So we hopped on a boat for a guided tour through the canals of Amsterdam.   We had the cutest young man running the boat.  He's a student in Amsterdam.  The tour  

The Floating Cat House.

was a great way to see the city and truly appreciate the beautiful Dutch architecture.  We passed a floating"cat house," where homeless cats live and are cared for until they are adopted.  There were cats crawling all over this boat.

Inside the cabin of our boat where it was nice and warm.

AND we floated past another type of "cat house" ... the red light district.  That area was pretty disgusting.  Our guide instructed us NOT to take photos, because the bouncers have been known to follow people who take pictures and destroy their cameras.  So I have no photos of the red light district, which is actually a blessing.  

Seven Bow Bridges.

We floated under the Seven Bow Bridges, the first of which almost decapitated me   because I was standing on a seat in the back of the boat taking photos.  The bridges have a very low clearance.  

Lunch at George.

After our boat trip, we had a fabulous lunch at a little spot called "George."  

Ellen's Wooden Clogs.

Later, we shopped for tulip vases, Ellen found some lovely wooden clogs and we walked back to our hotel, had cocktails and then dinner at an Indonesian restaurant called Tempo Doeloe.  Interesting food.  Probably wouldn't go back there.

This was our day in an abbreviated version.  Jet lag has kicked in.

They call this street "Venice of Amsterdam."

Dinner at Tempo DoeLoe, Indonesian Food.  

Our boat Captain, Eurie.