So it’s been a few months since my last blog post, mostly because of the unpredictability of college and partly because of being lazy. Nevertheless, after a few weeks of summer I’m back blogging. I recently flew to Amsterdam for three nights over the Easter break and have too many pictures lurking in my camera roll that really should be shared.

I booked our flights to Amsterdam over Christmas, and I wasn’t extremely excited because it felt like the place “everyone goes to” at some point or another; the proof of this was all over my Instagram and Facebook news feed. I knew from the photos that the main to do attractions were a picture with an ‘iamAmsterdam’ sign, a drink in a bar made of ice, and cycling on a bike by the canals. I also knew the reason a lot of people went there was because of the legalization of prostitution and cannabis. Amsterdam definitely sounded like a crazy place but I didn’t think it was a city that I would love, and thankfully I was wrong.

Our trip away took off over a beautiful sunset and listening to a pilot crack jokes to everyone on board. One thing that I looked forward to more than anything was visiting Anne Frank’s House, since I was reading the book at the time and felt it was something I couldn’t leave Amsterdam and not do. But up to two months before our trip I struggled to book any tickets online as the website said the place was sold out for the next FOUR MONTHS.

But my Mum made light of this situation saying, “you’ll go back another time and see it then, you don’t have to do everything in one trip”.

I feel this is so important because we often get caught up on holidays and in life in general ticking experiences off like a check list. So I didn’t completely plan out the holiday but rather took each day as it came.

(Below is the wall of our hotel room, not trying to pretend I live life in a black and white movie)

I booked a hotel that was a 10 minute Tram ride outside of the city Centre. It was the same length of time to the airport. It was conveniently located but when we first arrived all that was around us were hotels in what felt like a deserted suburban area with no food places in sight; this, of course, was a concern at 8pm after a flight. Luckily the lady at our reception was so wonderful and friendly she gave us a website for takeouts equivalent to JustEat or Deliveroo in Ireland. We ordered a huge pizza and watched the few English television channels before heading to sleep.

The next morning we awoke early at 7am and headed into the city where we found a cute cafe that served bagels and coffee, what more could one ask for?? (Other than a mandatory photo shoot with the food, of course). We attempted to make a rough plan for the day with our map that we found at the airport, then decided to walk around and embrace the city atmosphere.

Sometimes you know instantaneously if you love a place or not, Amsterdam felt like that. I loved the old gothic buildings and the gas lamps that flooded the streets. Cyclists terrified me but also left me in awe as they constantly zoomed by the canals. The surrounding water and the boats passing by made the city charming and cute.

We walked by Anne Frank’s house coincidentally as we were eating breakfast nearby. I can’t describe the feeling that rushed through me, I guess it felt like my heart sunk when I saw the building. I stopped and looked around me at the outer area of the building and watched life pass by contemplating what it was like for the members of the secret Annex that were confined indoors for almost two years fearing for their lives (something I or nobody else will ever understand of course, but we can still try to).

So I was sad to see the que of people outside of the ‘museum’ entrance. I decided to be an annoying tourist and take a chance by asking the workers if there was any possibility my boyfriend and I could get tickets inside the house. I soon realized that our minds often play tricks on us, as what I thought was an annoying interruption resulted in us getting tickets. It’s important to always try and take chances, there’s nothing worse than regret in life.

So for all of you interested in visiting the museum, the people on the door told us a bundle of tickets are released throughout each day on certain hours and I was told around 12pm was a good time to check online for available tickets. So we ate more food beside Anne Frank’s at an amazing pancake place. I constantly refreshed my phone and eventually got tickets online; I was ecstatic.

So our day took off to a great start. We decided to get a ferry across to the A’DAM lookout intending to swing over a building overlooking the city; I thought it sounded a lot scarier than what it actually was. The boat journey took less than 5 minutes and the lookout was amazing. We looked out over the city from the top of the roof and it was an incredible view. The swing lasted around 3 minutes and I got an adrenaline rush as we swang over the edge of a huge building looking at the sky and the surrounding city. Everything seemed a lot smaller from up there. They take pictures of people as they are on the swing which are worth keeping.

We went to Anne Frank’s House later that day and after reading the book I found the whole experience extremely emotional. It was heartbreaking walking up the narrow flight of stairs and through the small rooms where people spent nearly two years in hiding. Along the walls there were height measurements, photos and personal belongings leftover; this made me realize that 70 years isn’t a long time and these horrible events are still recent in our history. The most moving moment for me was when I looked in the old stained mirror in the bathroom and realized that a 14 year old girl also looked in that same mirror not so long ago unaware of her fate. Anne only let her true emotions show when she went to the toilet and was alone (explained in the book).

So reading her diary and traveling through the Secret Annex is an experience I would recommend. It’s important to look at the glimpses of humanity in such horrible times as a 14 year old girl had more wisdom and courage than many people will ever have in their life. The diary doesn’t just focus on the war and politics but she writes about her deep thoughts and topics that teenagers and adults nowadays can relate to. It’s amazing how focusing on one human being during their time in hiding can draw so much compassion and emotion compared to reading about statistics in a book. This was evident as many of us walked in complete silence throughout the secret annex tour concentrating and listening to the audio guide. For those 20 minutes we were all remembering the many souls lost from inhumane acts of hatred, and we all walked together appreciating the life and words of Anne Frank.

“In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again”

– Anne Frank

Amsterdam is a beautiful vibrant city with an atmosphere that can be felt from walking crowded or quiet streets. There’s a real sense of life in Amsterdam as cyclists pass every minute and the boats sail by in the canals unknowingly to many. Walk along the flower markets and appreciate the beautiful tulips which are all floating on water.

Take a trip to the Body Museum and examine real human bodies and organs; looking in particular at what makes people happy and how who’s affects the body. This exhibition consists of fun games, interesting facts and positive quotes related to happiness.

There are many touristy things you can do in Amsterdam like visit the Heineken Experience or go to many amazing museums like Van Gogh (which unfortunately I didn’t get to see). But what’s great about Amsterdam is without doing all of this you can have an incredible time simply walking around the city. Go to the red light district and see how it’s like a separate city itself, I found it sad seeing women stand half naked at a window selling their bodies to a stranger like a business transaction but I wasn’t aware of any of their individual stories or life situations.

Walking around the beautiful parks and chilling out by the lakes was one of my favorite things to do. Amsterdam is such a vibrant and colour full city that I definitely want to visit again. It’s a city with beautiful architecture, history, nightlife, and lots of tourist attractions.

Enjoy some pictures I took!

Over and out

– Saoirse