More Dam Stuff

I don't want Amsterdam to be completely overshadowed by all the Tanzanian pics and adventures. Although the safari was definitely the highlight - and the point - of our vacation, we were glad to get to see another beautiful European city.

Granted, there's much more to see in the Netherlands than we took advantage of. There are the endless fields of tulips, of course, and the windmills, and Delft (pottery!). But even in Amsterdam itself there are so many incredible museums and so much art. I think that if art or art history is your thing, you should visit for sure!

But for us, the city was a book-end to an African adventure, and a great one at that!

It was either overcast, misty, or raining all the days we were there, which was just as well. Africa was mostly hot and dry, and there were days when we were sweltering. So, the humidity and water were fine with us.

My one pseudo regret is that we didn't get to tour the Anne Frank house. Did you know it was in Amsterdam? Why have I been thinking this whole time that she had lived in Poland? Probably because I don't know my history as well as I should. Anyways, the tours book up months in advance, and yours truly wasn't on top of things, so alas, we saw the outside but not the inside. This is the actual building of her house; I'm not sure what has been remodeled on the inside, but this is it from the outside.

Even getting to see and touch the building was surreal. I'm not quite sure what I would have felt going inside. I've visited the Dachau concentration camp and I've visited Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima. If those are any indicators, the tour would have been heart-breaking and overwhelming, yet totally worth it. If I ever go back, this is on my list.

A statue honors her just around the corner from her house.

On a lighter note, one day we toured the city by boat instead of by foot. They have hop on/hop off canal boats that take you all over the city. It's a good way to cover a lot of ground without getting run over by a cyclist. It's also a good way to nap through your jet lag on the first day. (guilty)

Take a look at this last picture for a minute. I took it with G's phone, which doesn't do it justice, but if you look through this arch, see the next one? Further in the background? There are actually seven arches that are viewable from this spot! They are viewable like Russian nesting dolls - one "inside" the next.

Hope you are enjoying the Labor Day weekend! Hope you are off tomorrow!