A Fun Weekend in Amsterdam
One of the canals
Amsterdam was never at the top of my Bucket List. I knew that everyone who went to Europe, visited the city and while I knew eventually I would get there, I never made it a priority. However, after my trip in October, I can say that this beautiful city deserves to be visited again. One day, I want to head back and check out the things I missed in the city, Rotterdam and the countryside as well.
*Crazy Travel Story Time*
This trip came at the heels of my Switzerland trip and ambitious Kasey seemed to posses my body during the planning because I thought, "why take an expensive flight and pay to stay an extra night in a hotel when I can take a train over night?" Now readers, I want to make a VERY clear distinction between an OVER NIGHT train and a train that you take over night. An OVER NIGHT train usually has a bed and is usually a no transfer train, if you're lucky. If you take a train over night like I did.. well this is how your night could possibly go..I took the first train about a two hour ride and switched at 11 pm in Basel, Switzerland. From there I boarded a train that was bound for Germany, that was 7 hours and 30 minutes long. This is where I decided to do the bulk of my sleeping since it was the longest leg. Throughout the 7 and a half hours I was awoken maybe 15 different times by passengers, train conductors asking to see my ticket multiple times and just the general uncomfortable situation of having to sleep in an upright position. Once I arrived in Germany I was told that the next train I needed to be on had already left because the one I had just departed from was running late. They said, no worries take the next train leaving in 45 minutes and you'll get to Arnhem (the next stop I needed for my last train to Amsterdam). I board this train and literally in the middle of nowhere the train stops at a station. I think to myself not a problem this is just a routine stop people will get off and we will be on our way in 2 minutes. WRONG. We sit there for maybe 20 minutes before unobservant Kasey finally realized that something was off. After asking a nearby passenger what was happening, we figure out that the train I was on doesn't go any farther than this stop and I was supposed to switch trains at the station to continue on. FANTASTIC. So I get off the train, and look at the timetable to see that the next one doesn't come for an hour. Mind you it's roughly 8 a.m. and its 40 degrees out. An hour later I get on the next train, sit down in the warmth and 5 minutes goes by. A conductor gets on to see my ticket before we take off and informs me that I am on the wrong part of the train because when it arrives to this station the train SPLITS IN HALF and only part of it continues. I was the unlucky girl who chose the wrong side of the train to be sitting on. Guess when the next train comes? Yup. Another hour...
The rest of this story is rather boring since I finally find the train I need to be on and arrive to Amsterdam 3 hours later than anticipated and completely exhausted. I couldn't let that ruin my day though because I had booked a free walking tour for that afternoon and made it to the meet up location with 10 minutes to spare.
(I ended up taking two tours from the same company, The Absolutely Amsterdam Tour and the Super Sight Seeing tour the following day. If you're headed to Amsterdam and want a great way to see the city for cheap, I highly recommend them!)
With a bunch of fellow tourists I met on my first tour.
Our wonderful and knowledgeable tour guide, Sergio!
A couch being pulled in through a window on the top floor since the stairs are too small for it to fit.
Checking out some clogs at a street market we walked through.
Begijnhof
Kendy and I
Kendy eating some amazing cookies from Van Stapele Koekmakerej!
The group I met on my second tour.
Aside from the tours, I was able to meet up with a friend from Florida who was studying abroad in the area. Kendy and I became friends through Disney and I was excited to be able to catch up for a few days in Amsterdam.
We went out drinking, of course.
And made some new friends!
She took pictures as I got my new tattoo.
We helped each other get those classic canal pictures
I stole a bike... jk...or am I?
I did check out some of the culture aspects of Amsterdam as well. The Van Gogh museum was slightly disappointing for me or at least not worth the 20 something dollars I spent to get in. The Anne Frank museum was insanely humbling. I spent an hour walking around the museum and just being in awe that this piece of history was so real and painful. I remember reading the book when I was younger but to experience it first hand is definitely a must do.
Mr. Van Gogh
Inside the exhibits
And again
The many languages the book was translated into.
A picture of Anne Frank.
Other than that here are some pictures of the awesome architecture in Amsterdam. It reminds me of a western Venice, in a way, with the buildings right on the water.
View of the houses on the water.
Again.
The Van Gogh House
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