Day Thirteen: A day in Amsterdam + another night (ahh)

An early start was not particularly welcome, but it greeted us no doubt.
The gorgeous weather was not so kind when we found ourselves cycling our canal bikes in groups of four down the canals.

We were given a little picnic bag which was rather cute to nibble on as we enjoyed (the scenery not so much the cycling).... after several wrong turns...

...passing some interesting types of boats...

and the intentional/unintentional crashing of into each other...

...We somehow ended up at our destination: Anne Franks House.

We parked our canal bikes and walked on over to Anne Franks House. The line stretched rather far, but we were determined to wait it out, unlike the others. In a little over half an hour, we were inside the piece of history that so many people around the world yearn to see in their lifetimes. It was after all where Anne and her family hid during the Holocaust.

This was one of the most amazing experiences Lauren and I had  had on our travels.. As we got to relive her experiences, see how dark and prison-like the rooms had to be, the posters on Anne's bedroom walls, etc.

The movable bookcase was very cool to see and touch.. so cool that we had to snatch a photo beside it despite the fact cameras were not permitted... Oops.

What I also found most captivating inside the house-turned-museum, was the documentary that played of Annes best friend and her discussing Anne. It was somewhat more moving actually hearing this whilst in Anne's very house. After hearing Anne's father discuss how reserved Anne was and how difficult it was to come home after the concentration camp was liberated. This made us appreciate the pain and hurt he experienced in the renowned photograph of him standing by the doorway.

Just before we were to approach the end of the guided tour of the Franks' house, we got the privilege of seeing the ACTUAL diary. The red and white patterned one that so famously covers all the copies of her diary that made her story oh so well-known throughout the world. This was an exciting moment.

After Anne Franks House, we met up with a few others and headed towards the Tulip markets. Tulips being the flower of Amsterdam.

We got a little hungry and headed into a nearby cafe where we tried - Ductch Apple pie and.... Poffertjes!! Ahhh they were amazing! I remember trying them once back in NZ, but wow these ones were the real deal.... literally diabetes on a plate; cream, icecream, mmmmnnnn.... could not complain.

We got our walk on after lunch (a rather dessert orientated lunch at that), and headed through town to the 'IAMSTERDAM' sign that every tourist has to get a photo beside. Its just part of the experience. So we did.

I would have so loved to have visited the Van Gogh museum nearby but we were running out of time. Pity. I so love the flowers painting. Next time perhaps. On our way to a tram to take us back to the hotel, we passed several other historic museums and a piece of me died inside. If only time wasn't so limited.

We got back to the hotel a short while later and headed up the ridiculous number of stairs and narrow hallways to our rooms and got changed for the final contiki dinner at the Sea Palace.

Before dinner Lauren and I were determined to pick up a few last minute souvenirs in the Red Light District and try what Amsterdam is also known for: Heinken, just to say we did. We went into a vodka museum and saw a stupid amount of absenth bottles, as you do... They are only 90 percent after all... because that's morally, not to mention legally allowed in New Zealand. Pfft.

We wandered through to the lovely restaurant on the water that awaited us; the floating palace.

The rest of the crew were inside and we were all happy to be in crazy Amsterdam, but not so happy that it was to be our last night together...

Before we had even started dinner, some were happier than others...

After a huge buffet style dinner and several glasses of wine, we were steered towards a line of bars where we were set to take part in a pubcrawl. It was not your average pubcrawl... as you can imagine. Therefore no details are necessary... your own imagination will suffice.... :)

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...And well, that was Amsterdam. Done and dusted.
We had conquered another part of Europe and the following day we were headed back to London where our tour was set to end. Sigh. We spent hours upon hours on the bus through to Calais, France where we then caught that same ferry back to England and then the bus back to London.
Saying goodbye was harder than expected as we had become a rather tight knit adopted family.... Garai leading the pack. And Marco driving us to our destinations. So greatly appreciated.

....I am sure we would reflect our 'trip of a lifetime' when that song came on the radio; No tomorrow, by Orson. No matter what part of the world where we each resided, it would act as a reminder - taking us back to the daily torture of singing that song, and over the course of the trip, the gradual attachment that grew.

...Hopefully one day soon we will bump into each other again.... "It would be rude not to!"

The Contiki European Highlights Tour Group 2011:

Ahhh miss you all!!!