Weekend in Amsterdam

Sorry for the delay on the Amsterdam weekend, but school does come first. On that note back to to the topic at hand. I had a great weekend in Amsterdam with a huge group of students from Richmond.


I flew out Friday morning, and after a chaotic journey to Gatwick Airport I finally made it to Amsterdam!

It’s a very unique city and it’s a little hard to describe. Amsterdam is one of those places that appear on every list when it comes to the best cities in Europe, and I can see why. Aside from the cold, it was a great weekend.

Friday was a first official day there and after breakfast we met in Dam Square. We are staying at different hostels and Dam Square was the perfect meeting point for all of us. After walking around, for a bit we decided to go to the Anne Frank House, which was incredible.

I cannot tell you how moved and touched we each were. What was once the office of a jam company where Otto Frank, the father or Anne Frank, worked became there secret hideaway amidst the harsh and difficult times of World War II. The building was converted to a museum, but what was impressive was that everything looked just like it would have back then.

All around the museum were painted excerpts from Anne Frank’s diary. It was as if you could get a small glimpse into the life they were forced into. As we made our way up very narrow and steep stairs we walked through the secret door that was once covered by a bookshelf. We walked through the rooms where the Frank family lived. As I walked in too Anne Frank’s room the pictures and clippings she kept and pasted to the wall were now faded photographs showing us her attempt to remember what life was like before WWII.

After someone reported that the Franks were hiding, they were separated and sent to concentration camps. What was really sad was that Otto Frank was the only to survive, and that Anne Frank died one month before the concentration camps were liberated. This was by far the most life changing part of Amsterdam. If you ever get the chance, it’s a must see.

After visiting the Anne Frank House, we continued to walk around the city, crossing one bridge after another. I had no idea how man canals and bridges there were in Amsterdam. Later that afternoon we decided to go to the old Heineken Brewery, which was really entertaining and informative.

We learned all about the history of Heineken and how it is produced. We went on a hilarious simulation as if we were the beer being brewed and left laughing as we walked out. One of most interesting parts of the “Heineken Experience” was learning how to properly pour and drink beer to get the best flavor. After that we got to sample two versions of Heineken, the original and extra cold.

After that we were all a bit tired and went back to go get ready for dinner, and enjoyed the nightlife of Amsterdam. The following day involved a lot of exploring the city. We practically walked all over the city. In the afternoon we went to the Van Gough Museum, which was pretty good, even though a few of the major pieces were missing. As we continued to explore we did a must and got fries from a small vendor on the side of the road. I have come to conclusion that food from little side kiosks is almost always cheap and delicious, it’s a little travelers tip to keep in mind.

I flew back Sunday afternoon and had a less hectic time getting back home, thankfully. As for next weekend, I will be exploring more of the great city of London, something that I really haven’t gotten to do!

Proost! (Cheers in Dutch)

Pictures:Weekend in Amsterdam