1) Overlooking a canal 2) Mr. O, leaning almost as much as the canalhouses! 3) Another bridge in Amsterdam 4) Anne Frank House 5) Keeping collections in windows seems to be a thing in Amsterdam - these are corkwork dollies (which I used to have when I was little!) 6) Wedding cake toppers in this house! 7) My Mr.
We hit the city early on Sunday morning, making sure we got to the Anne Frank House in time for our pre-booked session (like I said, tour geek). This though was one of the most thought-provoking, poignant tours I've ever been on. So much information, not just about Anne and her family, but about the wider history too, and done in an incredibly sensitive way. Since reading Anne's diary as a child, I'd always wondered what the secret annexe had been like and how so many people had managed to stay hidden for so long. Being there, learning the geography of the house and seeing the small space that the two families had to share for so many months was an experience that is difficult to quantify. The hope in the hopelessness. I'm so grateful that we were able to visit (and that we got in there just a couple of days ahead of the Bieber and his ridiculous comments too...).
From the Anne Frank House, we explored the Nine Streets area, eventually settling in for breakfast at the busy Koffiehuis de Hoek. Once again I went for pancakes (Dutch apple this time) and once again they were delicious. We spent the afternoon riding the trams, taking in the squares and cobbled streets of the city, stopping off at the Flower Market and browsing the shops and supermarkets (am I the only one who loves visiting foreign supermarkets!?).
Taking advantage of our hotel's 5pm checkout (only on Sundays, lucky us!), we stayed out as late as we could, rushing back to pack before heading off to the airport. Just a couple of hours later and we were back at home, feasting on stroopwafels bought at the airport.
In summary, our trip was brief, but, thanks to Mr. O's work, I think it's somewhere we'll end up spending more time in the future, something I'll certainly look forward to. Amsterdam is nowhere near as large as London or Paris which means you can certainly see all the major sights in a short weekend trip. The city has a very laid back vibe and is full of incredible architecture and the coolest cafes, shops and restaurants. For me though, the true highlight was travelling without expectations - no long list of places to visit, places to eat or photo opportunities not to be missed. So many times I have slightly tainted adventures because I've had too many expectations and built trips up too much in my mind, only to be a little disappointed when I couldn't squeeze everything in. This time this wasn't the case though and it was a revelation. It rained (a lot), it was cold, we didn't make it much further than the city centre...and we just had the best time, laughing lots and loving each other. This 'no expectations' approach to travel could be my new thing!
Highlight of the weekend: Throwing off the travel shackles and living in the moment!
Additional highlights of the weekend (I just can't stop myself...): The Anne Frank House...and the steak, yum.
Anne Frank House, Prinsengracht 263-267, 1016 GV Amsterdam
Koffiehuis de Hoek, Prinsengracht 341, 1016 HK Amsterdam
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