Study Abroad in London: Walking in a Winter Wonder 'Dam!

Etana and I

This past weekend I went to Amsterdam with Jenna and Jill to visit my friend Etana who is from Hooksett, NH and who I worked with this past summer at 900 Degrees in Manchester, NH. We stayed at her apartment and met her friend Matteo, who is Italian and had friends visiting from Italy. The Italian guys cooked us dinner both nights! It was so delicious! We made them apple crisp the second night because Matteo loves cinnamin and apparently they don't cook with cinnamin very often in Italy. Matteo liked the apple crisp so much that he had seconds!

L to R: Jenna, Jill, Etana and I

L to R: Vincente, Jenna, Alessandro, Jill, Matteo, Etana and I

There are bikes EVERYWHERE in Amsterdam! They have their own bike lane and stop lights!

We arrived in Amsterdam Thursday around noon. First we got some food at a Bagel & Beans resturant, which was extremely delicious and had the best hot chocolate ever! Then we visited the Van Gogh museum that afternoon. We really liked it! Especially Jill. It was so amazing to see such famous paintings! After the Van Gogh, we also went to the I AMsterdam sign since it was nearby.

Friday we explored the city while Etana went to the library and got homework done. We went to the Heineken Experience as well on Friday. It was so fun! We were given 2 free drinks.

Me, Jill and Jenna at the Heineken Experience

All of the different international labels used over the years

The development of the bottle.

Then on Saturday we went with Etana's Dutch class to the Anne Frank House, which we got in for a very discounted rate because of Etana (thanks again girl!). That was very moving. It was pretty amazing how you could not see the Secret Annex from the street (the top floor that thye live on.) Also, I did not know that the the street/ground level was a warehouse. The people working in the warehouse did not know that Jews were hiding in the attic area! So the Frank family as well as the others in hiding there had to be silent during the day and avoid flushing the toilet and running the sink as much as possible. Only the people who worked in the offices on the next floor up were aware of the people in hiding.

Anne Frank House

We were able to tour the entire house as well as see THE actual bookcase which blocked the entrance to the Secret Annex. It was realy amazing to pass through the bookcase and enter the rooms they lived in. I even saw Anne Frank's bedroom and saw how she had decorated her walls with newspaper and magazine clippings and pictures in order to bring some cheer into their sad lives.

The bookcase which blocked the entrance to the Secret Annex

The whole experience in Amsterdam was very amazing. The city was FREEZING COLD but beautiful because of the snow. I at first didn't care very much whether or not I visited Amsterdam, but now I am so so so glad that I did. The city was so old because it wasn't bombed, and it was extremely beautiful with the snow. Plus I very much enjoyed being able to visit Anne Frank's house. It was such a moving experience.