A day in Amsterdam

A typical street with houses in Amsterdam. We drove around in Amsterdam for a very long time and found a huge pay parking lot. Driving was trecherous because of all the canals, cars and bicycles everywhere....even in the pouring rain.

The Anne Frank house was difficult to find, we only saw one small sign for it. The first floor has been made into an area where you buy your tickets (kids under 18 are free) , use the WC and look at a small scale model of the house. Then you walk into the house. You even go through the famous bookcase stairway. (The bookcase hid the fact that there were stairs there at all). You cannot take photos. You walk through room by room. Her posters of movie stars were on the walls of her room still and you can see the pencil markings on the wall measuring the children's height. It was a good experience to see but you definately 'feel' it when you are there. "It" being the feeling of history and sadness. As I walked through the rooms I looked out the windows (which were blackened out during their stay there) and had a black sheer sort of covering over them when we were there. I looked out and imagined not being able to see out or go out if I wanted to. I'm not sure I am making sense but...just the feeling of wanting 'out'. It was very sad.

At the end of the house tour there is a museum bookstore type place with Anne Frank's diary in MANY different languages, postcards, etc and a small cafe.