Well we’ve traveled far and wide and covered almost all forms of transportation. Really! Let me list them: Plane, shuttle van, walking, public bus, fast train, slow train, tram, gondola, bike, taxi, funicular, tour bus, little boat, big boat, car, subway, elevator, and even those moving path things in airports and train stations.
When we arrived in Arnhem, I had totally forgotten that we were in the land of my ancestors! Finally! I’ve always wanted to visit and now was my chance, and even closer to their actual land than I had anticipated. I was curious to see how Dutch was different from German and practiced saying dank u wel as soon as I got there. The very first thing I noticed about the people was their height. As I had been told, they were oddly tall and many fit nicely into this stereotype. The houses are also tall and skinny with the steepest, narrowest stairs I have ever seen. The house our room was in, was built in 17?? And was very typical.
The front door
Having limited time here, we rushed off to find the Open Air Museum and buy museum passes. This was one of the most interesting museums in terms of lay out and the way the information was presented. I found it to be a wonderful way to learn history, but had to wonder if a similar type of format would survive in America – where museum artifacts are behind glass. The idea was to show how the Dutch lived thought the decades as realistically as possible. I really felt like I was walking through time. The authentic barns, houses, workshops and gardens we open for guests to wander around inside to look at all the artifacts as they would have been left not tucked away in a display case or merely models. Another opportunity I took advantage of was watching dressed up workers/actors going about their daily business as if in another century. Unfortunately, we ended up having to rush through even the few main attractions we chose to focus on. I’m glad we fit in the time we did because it was special to see firsthand how my family lived and to explore the iconic windmills, play with old toys, eat bread and enjoy chocolate! I even bought slippers that looked like the famous Dutch wooden clogs.
One of many old houses we ducked into, and my Dad standing in the doorway as his ancestors would have.
Aren’t they wonderful? Slipper clogs.
The following day we borrowed free bikes and rode out to another museum. We biked through the park; heather, trees and sand for 10 kilometers to get in. Inside the Kroller Mueller Art Museum, we got to see a lot of famous art. Outside, my mom and I (getting fatigued) were amused by the modern art sculptures. Feeling guilty for being amused by what I assumed to be serious art, we suppressed our giggles at very obvious titles such as “Squares with Two Circles” or “Rocky Lumps”. I appreciated one artist in particular who had given permission for guests to climb around on his work. We entered up through a secret door and wandered around on a large piece of Dr. Seuss-y art.
“Rocky Lumps”
I’m not kidding.
Behind me, in that thing…is the staircase down, under and out!
Alas, we departed on our free bikes through the fresh air and bustled off to the joy of public mass transportation.
Arrival in Amsterdam = instantaneous, pure overwhelment. Yep. I needed to make up that word to describe the feeling.
Amsterdam
“Are you getting somewhere? Or did you get lost in Amsterdam?” – Guster
Amsterdam! (From the top of the Library)
Dear Guster, we did get lost in Amsterdam but we also certainly got somewhere. More than once if you ask my Dad and I who were often convinced we were going in circles. It all looks the same! Good thing we had my mom/ “our tour guide” along to escort us through the city!
Up and at it, croissant in hand we began our first full day. Only to be sent back home for rain jackets. This time, armed and ready to brave the weather, we changed the order of our plans and retreated to museums while the city got drenched. On the way to the Van Gogh museum we stopped for huge Dutch pancakes and coffee! There was some fascinating, large, rock sugar for the coffee, which I found picture and noteworthy.
The sugar!
Skipping the line (with our handy museum passes!), we wandered the arm museum and the Doctor Who episode about Van Gogh played in my head as I read about his dark, up and down life and looked at his masterpieces that couldn’t bring him fame in time for him to enjoy. I drank my dose of paintings and noticed how his art changed as his life did and began to wonder what would happen if I picked up a paint brush.
Finishing in up in the gift shop, we got some fresh cold drinks in the fresh cold air to freshen up and cool down before tackling the Reich museum. Thank goodness some of it was closed. Here, I was honored yet again to see art that was so old, so impressive, and so famous.
Reich museum
After a long day on our feet, the perfect idea was a boat ride on a canal as night fell on the city. We experienced the sun set and lighting up of Amsterdam’s night life as well as the tour in at least 4 languages. It was a quick and helpful way to get oriented to the wet, half moon shape that didn’t make much sense to me on the map.
On the second morning, we got up early and rushed off to the Anne Frank house. And because my mom is awesome and super organized, we beat the crowd for the most part and the whole experience was good. The tour was powerful since the museum is in the actual building that the history took place in which makes it so much more real and touching. I found it really interesting in the part of the house they hid in, the secret annex, it has been preserved empty as her father (who helped with turning their house into a museum) wished. This represented the hollow emptiness left behind when so many people were taken away to never return. Before I knew that, I was wondering why they had just created models to show how it had been, and after learning that I appreciated his decision. “Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.” –Anne Frank
After leaving the house, we went down the street; ok we paced like 4 streets and even stopped at the cheese museum for free samples, before settling on a hole in the wall breakfast place. Luck again! We just beat the rush and enjoyed delicious Dutch pancakes again.
YUM!
With full bellies and a bit of caffeine, our day evolved into wandering and following the walking tour Rick Steves provides. As distractible as we are and as confusing as Amsterdam roads are, the few noted spots took us the rest of the day. After dinner (which was bizarre because we ate in a tiny café hidden in a huge department store) we braved the streets of the red light distract. I was there. I had to see it. I suppose I’ll just say, this was an eye opening experience that started out semi-uncomfortable and a drastically different tour than that morning.
So, on our last morning we finally had to do laundry at a mat. It was not as expected. The point was to leave your clothes, let them do it and come back in an hour. My mom and I, being the control freaks we are, didn’t quite catch on to that and stayed and micromanaged the process. But eventually with clean and either damp or shrunken clothes we began our jouney to Brugge, Belgium.
My mom and I folding Laundry inside. My dad…. well…doing his own thing.
This trip was not as hot as previous days of travel (luckiy!!) but there were a lot of tired and grouchy people around. Me, sitting next to them, quietly reading seemed to be as much of a nuisance as burnt toast for breakfast. I had an encounter with a conductor that I will not forget. It is stressful enough not knowing when they are coming and having to find my Eurail pass and hoping I filled it out correctly, no need for an added layer. The novel I am enjoying currently has been a good companion on the train, especially when split from my parents as I was in this case. I was sitting alone with my bag next to me, deeply engrossed in the turmoil of the characters’ lives. The main character, a young woman, had just been left alone for a few hours and was not looking for trouble when she was suddenly captured by the enemy, suspicious of her identity, and taken away to be locked up and questioned. This is when “the ticket guy” as I refer to them, came along and made me jump. He took my pass and looked at it intently. Then glanced and me and mumbled in French before leaving abruptly…with my pass! I nervously sat and fumbled with my bookmark contemplating my fate. When he returned, he continued to grump at me in French about my ticket, but in a language I barely speak with background train noises and with my anxiety levels already above comfortable, I had no idea what the problem was. He did a lot of pointing (at my ticket) and more explaining accompanied by glares and open ended questions. I began to try to explain I had no idea what was wrong and that the part he was fussing over has been fine on every other train when he gave up, apparently fixed the problem, and then huffed off. *exhale* I survived. I was in fact questioned by the suspicious but at least not captured by the enemy! What a fiasco.
(P.S. One of my Amsterdam souvenirs was the next book in that mentioned series that I bought in the famous English book store!)
Upon arrival in Brugges, it was love at first sight! After the insanity of Amsterdam, Brugges was welcoming and tourist friendly and after seeing where we were staying I collapsed on my bed in fatigue and relief.
Proof.
“…a handy gateway to Europe. It’s no secret, but even with the crowds, it’s the kind of place where you don’t mind being a tourist. Burges’ ultimate sight is the town itself, and the best way to enjoy it is to get lost on the back streets, away from the lace shops and ice-cream stands. Today this uniquely well-preserved Gothic city prospers because of tourism. Even with its crowds, it’s the kind of city where you don’t mind being a tourist. It hides some sweet surprises…” –Rick Steves
Our trip being guided by, and my writing being partially inspired by Steves, it seems appropriate to quote him. This is not originally the part of the travel book I wanted to include, but the book had to go back to the library and this was fitting. The part that you don’t get to read is a humorous note about Belgian people that helped me form my first impressions. The Belgians were much shorter, and much plumper than the Dutch. Not that I can blame them, they are famous for French fries, waffles, beer and chocolate!
Our rooms here were probably one of my top two favorite places to stay. It was very cute and the people were very nice, I liked the town and the entertainment! We got quickly acquainted after renting bikes and taking off in the countryside to see the town of Damme. (This is the part where those of you still reading will probably start to think that the European food and drinks have gotten to my head). I loved this bike ride. Quite a lot. After the big, crazy city, riding on the train, reading maps, walking and hauling my suitcase I was free in the countryside! It was absolutely beautiful and I felt like I was in a movie. I let my head completely space out and take in the view until we arrived at an old, OLD church with a cemetery and everything. This didn’t bring me back to reality of course, I just worked this scene into the movie I had fallen into.
Beautiful ride. Perfect weather and perfect scenery, and perfect exercise!
Eventually we got back to town and found restaurant row in the square. Really, one entire edge was just restaurants! Each with their menu out front in 5 languages. Our waiter also spoke 5 languages and told us so as if it were no big deal. We had a view of the bell tower, and horses pulling buggies. The sun set was accompanied by a bell concert and conversation with two interesting American women sitting at the tiny table next to us. Not to mention that I tried cheese croquets, and oh my goodness it was the most amazing cheesy thing I’ve ever tasted. I spent every moment after they were gone counting down till I got to eat them again.
View 1 at our dinner spot
View 2 at our dinner spot!
Sun rise and people rise, we hiked to the top of the bell tower that had been the previous evening’s entertainment as well. All 366 steps to the top were worth it! The bells strike every 15 minutes and we were lucky enough to be at the top looking down to where we had eaten and looked up when they played. Turning around I was impressed by the coordination of the machinery and HUGE, old bells.
It was hard to take pictures of the bells so this is a very zoomed in view from the top of the bell tower down to where we ate looking up the night before. We ate at the place that doesn’t have umbrellas.
The rest of the day was filled with touristy things such as; testing out at least 3 different chocolate shops, admiring the lace everywhere, enjoying Belgian fries and Rick Steves’ company and guidance. In the middle of the day we paused for another canal trip in the most beautiful part of little Brugge.
Where (ish) we stared out canal tour.
Afterward, it being past 2pm at this point, The Basilica of the Holy Blood was open again for visits and I got to pay about 20 cents to see the blood of Christ. That’s a long story, Google it. The final two highlights of our time here included a peaceful moment in The Church of our Lady, the church hosting Michelangelo’s Madonna and Child. How in the world did he make such a beautiful statue out of that material, so long ago!?
Here we are, standing in front of the masterpiece.
“Alright, we went to church, can I have some beer now?” – My Dad. This quote is taken out of context but it fits here as a transition to me mentioning our tour of De Halve Maan Brewery. We learned the history of the area and saw how the beer used to be brewed and learned how it is currently brewed, got a great view of the city from the top of the building and then a complimentary glass of their Brugse Zot, unfiltered beer.
Dinner time. Cheese Croquet time. Goodbye to Brugge time.
Next morning, picked up some last minute chocolate and then….. Paris bound!!! Oh la la, I can’t believe it!
(I got behind on blogging but am going to post in order. So this starts 2-3 weeks ago and we headed to Paris on the 29th ish. Next up, Paris and then arrival in Angers (where I am currently staying for my actual study abroad program))
