Europe Travel Course 2014: December 2013

Monday, December 30, 2013

Amsterdam restaurant

Sorry for the out-of-order post, but here is a pic Bob sent me from the German restaurant we ate in while in Amsterdam. More tomorrow as this has been a busy day!

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Czech pastries

Dough rolled on a metal rod, pressed in cinnamon, sugar, and almonds and toasted over coals. Delicious! We also had chicken kabobs, sausages, ham, and skewers of strawberries dipped in chocolate.

Christmas tree in Old Town Square Prague

We all made it onto the overnight train to Prague! Several people had to work hard to get onto the train with their big backpacks. Today we went to the Anne Frank House, the Van Gogh museum, and the big Amsterdam library.

In the Anne Frank House, all of the blinds are drawn, just as it was when the eight people were in hiding. It is eerie to read the quotations printed on the wall from Anne's diary about yearning to go outside, breathe fresh air, etc. The original bookcase that was built to hide the secret annex is still there. We walked through the passageway during the tour.

We had a long wait for the Van Gogh museum on this holiday weekend, but it was worth it. We saw The Potato Eaters, Sunflowers, and several self-portraits. The museum is arranged so that you can see the progression of his style from dark colors to light. Not being an art history major, I was intrigued by the works I did not know well, including his many drawings and muted, almost watercolor-like paintings without the typical broad brush strokes I associate with Van Gogh.

The library was a treat. It is a modern building, all glass, with great views from every floor of the canal, boats, the skyline, and the big green science museum called Nemo. There was a professional piano player in the lobby and many people of all ages reading, listening to CDs in special booths, and working on computers. The top of the library is a cafeteria where several of us had a light dinner. In warmer weather, there is a balcony people can sit and eat outside. This is a photo looking in to the children's section on the lowest floor.

We also walked through the red light district and saw many women in the windows trying to attract customers. As one student said, "I don't need to see that ever again!"

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