we are getting to the end of this. i have been spending my time on different projects, but still want to finish this series (even though it has almost been 2 years). anyhoo, the next day was not really much. i took my time in the morning as this day was transportation day. i ended up having difficulty finding the private bus stop near the hostel that dropped you off at the airport. i had it explained me by the hostel receptionist, but still could not find it. i ended up walking to the central station & waiting at that stop. good thing i got there early, because it ended up being incredibly busy & it was not a bus, but a van; yes i went into the strange van. i ended up having a lot of time at the airport & bought 2 overpriced cappuccinos while i was waiting. i then took my flight from naples to amsterdam, circled around the airport trying to find the tourism center to pick up my museum pass, took the train to my hostel, checked into my hostel, picked up some fast chinese food, & returned to the hostel. i did not take many picture this day, but pictured below is dinner is some dutch chocolate; latte flavored. it was very good.
the next day was my first full day in amsterdam. i first stopped for coffee at a costa as it was a neighbor to the hostel. after, i took the train to the plantage & visited by first museum, the verzets resistance museum (the dutch resistance museum).
the museum tells the story of the dutch people during wwii. during this time, the netherlands experienced nazi occupation & the holocaust. the netherlands is known for being a big part of the resistance against nazism during wwii. there was also an exhibit on indonesia. i did not know there was a large part of the population of peoples with dutch ancestry (as it was a dutch colony) & the japanese occupied the country during wwii. during occupation, much of the population was transferred to concentration camps & there was a famine.
after, i walked around the area to admire the architecture & the city planning, as there are canals everywhere.
dokwerker monument memorializing the february strike where the dutch people protested against the persecution of dutch jews during wwii.
the next museum was the rembrandt house museum. it is located at the house he lived at during some of his painting years until he went bankrupt. the items in the house are not original, but the museum is to show how he would have lived during this time & to share info about him. items included in the house are based on the auction catalogue, as all his belonging were sold when he went bankrupt. the museum also includes demonstrations, including one about printing that was shown by an american volunteer.
the recreated studio
the recreated collection room.
rembrandtplein, a series of statues depicting rembrandt's painting the night watch.
next was the historical house van loon musuem. i decided to go here because i knew i wanted to visit one historical canal home, and this was a good choice. a beautiful house beautifully furnished. i enjoy house museums because i like to see hoe people lived in the past, including the rich.
the van loon house (.c 1672)
the back entrance of the van loon house & the gardens. i got to see so many hydrangeas :)
the kitchen is now a little espresso bar. i could not resist. such a cool experience to enjoy a capuchinno in an old grand home.
next stop was the bloemenmarkt. it is definitely a tourist site but it is worth seeing the floating flower (and souvenir) market (c.1862).
some of the architecture is so distinct. this kind of old ye historic with geometric shapes that remind me of mid-century. this building that is now the archives was a bank with what the internet says is a typical expressionist style for its time (1926).
next i stopped to get some food. i ended up ordering beef stew fries with red cabbage (it was delicious) & of course another espresso (i spoil myself with espresso when i travel). unpopular decision, but i prefer german/dutch hot meals than italian, but do prefer itlian fast food & coffee than dutch/german. ironically, this restaurant was also in an old bank.
beef stew with fries & red cabbage
next stop was the amsterdam museum. this museum is more of an interpretive museum then a museum full of artifacts, but as i did not know much about the city, it was good to have an overall history. it was not one of my favorites out of the many options, but did provide a broad/general history that the others did not.
if anything, i was able to get a selfie wearing armor & a fancy coffee filter.
houten huis, the oldest wooden house in amsterdam (c. 1400s).
at this point i was pretty miserable with all the rain. i learned a few hours prior that my hiking shoes were not waterproof & was walking with little puddles in my shoes. literally, puddles. i decided to call it an early day & return to the hostel for a warm shower.
for dinner i ended up going to the local grocery store & buying a fresh pretzel with a salad to go (also a box of gouda to nibble on for the next few days).
i ended up staying at hostelle, an all female hostel. this was the first time i stayed in an all female hostel. even though i prefer all female dorm rooms, i did not choose this hostel because it was all women but because it was one of the more affordable options. man, hostels are VERY expensive in amsterdam. definitely the most expensive city i have stayed at. also, it is located in an outdoor shopping center & near a main train station, so the location was perfect. there were a ton of food places, a costa coffee, & a grocery store within a 2 minute walk.
it was a large room with quite a few beds. at the age of 25, i was the grandma of the room. everyone else was under 21. i met a nice girl from como, italy & a couple of girls from switzerland. i started a conversation with them because they were watching gossip girl. they then asked me questions about the portrayal of american high schools & colleges; i took the time to answer all their curious questions. they were so cute.
on a side note, a great & unexpecting upside was having hairdryers. i am not one to use them, but as it was a very wet visit, i was able to use a hairdryer to dry my soggy shoes & socks. they may be common in hotels/motels, but definitely not at hostels.
now for a song! i have no idea what i was listening to then, but right now i have been listening to a lot of folk music. one of my favorite finds is crooked still. i have heard a few songs in the last few years, but have delved into more of their music recently. the song 'look on & cry' can literally make me cry. enjoy!
"isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? it just makes me feel glad to be alive - it's such an interesting world. it wouldn't be half as interesting if we knew all about everything, would it?"
- anne shirley
