Should We Stay or Should We Go

  For our last day in Amsterdam, the men decided to visit the Rijksmuseum while I chose something quite different. I went to the National Holocaust Museum. I knew before I went that it would be a difficult visit, but I also felt that it was something I wanted to do while we were in Amsterdam. The museum tells the story of the persecution of Jewish people in the Netherlands during the Second World War, beginning with what life was like before the war and following the gradual process of discrimination, persecution, deportation and murder. What struck me most was how much it helped me put a picture in my mind of what actually happened here in Amsterdam. We had spent our days wandering through beautiful streets, along canals and across bridges. We had admired the old buildings, enjoyed the cafés and watched people going about their everyday lives. Then, inside the museum, I was reminded that these same streets had once been the backdrop to something unimaginable. The museum is lo...

It’s October first and the beginning of another blog challenge month with The Ultimate Blog Challenge.  It’s a month long challenge where participants  try and share a blog post everyday along with supporting fellow participants.  I’ve signed up to participate, but since I’m currently travelling with my family by both land and sea, I’m not sure whether I’ll be able to make everyday.   If you’re interested in joining, you can find the challenge here: Ultimate Blog Challenge Beyond Amsterdam Yesterday we decided to leave Amsterdam behind for a day and see a little more of the area around the city. We hopped on a train and made two stops, each very different from the other. Our first stop was Zaandam. Zaandam is only a short train ride from Amsterdam, but it felt like we had stepped into a different world. The town has a long connection with shipbuilding, timber and the industrial development of the Zaan region. At one point, more than 600 windmills were operating her...

  Photo by Rudi Bloemmen on Unsplash I knew Amsterdam was famous for its bicycles before we came here. Everyone talks about the cycling culture, the bike lanes and the fact that there are bicycles everywhere. But knowing something and actually experiencing it are two very different things. There are more than 800,000 bicycles in Amsterdam, and about 32 percent of the city's traffic is by bicycle. After spending a few days here, I can definitely see why Amsterdam has earned its reputation as one of the world's great cycling cities. The first thing you learn as a visitor is that you really need to watch out for the bicycles. Back home, when we're walking around the city, we're watching for cars. Here, I'm constantly looking in every direction for bicycles. They can be coming from behind you, beside you or straight toward you, and they're surprisingly quiet. One minute you're walking along admiring the canals and beautiful old buildings, and the next you he...

Our first full day in Amsterdam didn't exactly begin the way we had planned. We spent the morning working on Son #1's phone, which meant hanging around the hotel rather than getting out to explore the city. It was a little frustrating knowing Amsterdam was waiting for us outside, but the alternative would have been finding an Apple Store and spending part of our day there. And no, we couldn't just put the phone in the suitcase and deal with it when he got home. Knowing it was still hanging over us would have made it difficult for any of us to completely focus on the experience and enjoy our time in Amsterdam. We really needed to get it sorted and put it behind us. Finally, around noon, we were ready to head out. Our plan was to walk through the Nine Streets and then take a canal tour of the city. The Nine Streets The Nine Streets, or De Negen Straatjes , are a collection of nine little streets in Amsterdam's historic canal district. They run through the area betwe...