Travel (II) - Europe 4 - Amsterdam D2, the Netherlands

Click here to view some pictures in Amsterdam 


Second day in Amsterdam, I toured the city on my own, because P and I have different interest, and Athena had business meetings.  After breakfast, I went directly to Anne Frank House.  It is said to have long lines all day so it's better to go early.  I was taking leisure stroll on the side streets, taking pictures etc.  Suddenly some beautiful shoes inside a store window caught my eyes and I had to have a look.  And it happened that they had some sale that day.  I ended up spending 2 hours there and bought 8 pairs of shoes (would have been 9 if I did not lose one pair).  Woman!! :-P  (BTW, really beautiful shoes!  Unique and extraordinary design.  Shoe lovers can check out United Nude) I was only happy that P was not there to disturb my shopping spree.  Luckily it was close to the hotel so I sent them back.  In the store, I chatted a bit with a staff who in fact came from New York.  He said he used to work in Ritz Carlton in NY and was able to travel cheap.  After seeing many places, he decided he wanted to live in Amsterdam.  It had been 2.5 years and he said he still moves too fast compared to locals.  "NY legacy", I commented.  He laughed to agree.  

With the high spirit from successful shopping, I could not help humming while I walked back.  After that I decided to go to a nice restaurant to have something Dutch for lunch.  In a restaurant close to central station, I had smoked eel, which is a typical Dutch specialty, and Dutch pea soup.  Both are satisfyingly delicious.  

According to the plan, Anne Frank House will be my next stop.  However I was intimidated by the long line, so I decided to walk around and pay a visit to Begijnhof (Begijn Court) and the historical museum first.  

Many tourists like to bike around the city center as well as some neighboring areas, such as Jordaan and Pijp, where one can experience authentic local life.  I walked south along the Prinsengracht, the most picturesque of canals; then turned east on local streets to Begjin Court.  On the way there were many small boutique clothing and accessories stores, as well as small cafes.  Such leisure walk is always pleasant.

Begijinhof is the oldest house in Amsterdam, in the very center of the town.  Beguine, according to what I understand, was a nun that did not want to live in a covenant so did not take the vow but lived like a nun and did good things to help people.  It was a quiet garden surrounded by many old houses, which are occupied even today.  There is a chapel inside the garden, where I saw quite a few people praying - more holy feeling than most churches I visited.  I did not have time to really see the historical museum but only walked around some public space in it and learned that it was an orphanage before.

When I turned around to Anne Frank House, I took a detour to Jordaan, to the west of the city center, where supposedly there are many small brown cafes (local small cafes, often having a candle on the table, cozy, relaxing, where local people like to hang out at and are known for warm and friendly atmosphere even towards tourists).  Local residential buildings are kind of common looking, without too much character.  The community was clean, orderly, and very quiet.  Blossoms could be seen here and there.  I took a seat in a small cafe, named Wester, right across the canal to Anne Frank House, in front of which there was still a long line.  Ordered a cappuccino and some Dutch cheese, drew a book from the shelf, and I started reading about haemorrhage, the basic knowledge, the treatment, and the psychological and social impact.  The waiter, a handsome young man who is running the entire store on his own, was gentle and friendly.  I had a somewhat long conversation with the woman sitting next to me.  She was a new-yorker too, just moved to Amsterdam recently for a project to design a casino.  She said for the past 3-4 years she lived in Hongkong and Maccau and managed the project of designing the casino by Las Vegas Sand.  

Eventually I went over to line up for a tour in Anne Frank House before it takes the last visitor.  I honestly did not expect much.  I knew it was a hiding place for two Jewish families during the World War II, and a teenage girl Anne Frank wrote her famous diary there.  The book has been published in about 70 languages.  Therefore I did not expect more than some display of old furniture and some manuscript.  However, the experience turned out to be profound even overwhelming.  It will be an unforgettable memory for me, I think.  

It was a small quarter in an office building.  With a few helpers, 8 Jews lived there for more than 2 years hiding from the Nazis.  According to Anne's diary, they had to have the dark blinds shut most of the time, and they dared not to run tap water or flush the toilet some time of the day, so that nobody in the neighborhood would notice their existence.  It does not take a big heart to empathize their living situation.  As a teenager, Anne was yearning for freedom, for laughter in open space, for the very basic human rights that every of us has long been taking for granted.  She said she had goals, she knew what she wanted, and she was hopeful that the war would be ended and her dreams would become true.  At the same time, she was trying to make an interesting life out of whatever was given to her - she decorated her room with some small pictures she collected, she was reading the magazines that the helpers delivered to her, and she was getting ready to publish her books once the war was over.  Her sister, 3 years older than her, was taking a latin lesson.  Unfortunately, a few months before the liberation they were arrested and sent to the Holocaust.  They did not survive except Anne's father.  

Anne was a good writer despite her young age at that time - after all her biggest dream was to become a journalist after the war.  Her thoughts were deep, even deeper than what her father perceived her.  There are excerpts on the wall, and there are short intro videos in a few of the rooms.  Part of the original diary and her other journals were on display.  

From this experience, one can understand what discrimination and persecution of innocent people mean.  Everybody has the responsibility of fighting against prejudice.

At the end of the exhibition, there was a hall with a few flat TV screens showing some pre-recorded videos of some controversial issues in today's world, and some polling devices for audiences to vote for opposite opinions.  Those are quite interesting topics and also difficult to judge, from my perspective.  For example, should head-scarf be allowed in public school  Should crucifix be allowed to display in the classrooms of public school?  Should neo-nazi symbols be allowed in public?  Should Hitler's Mein Kampf be allowed to publish in Manga (Japanese cartoon style)?  Should the anti-semist EDL be allowed to march in public?  Should the holocaust denial group be allowed on facebook or on internet in general? ...  

We are in a complicated world with zillions of issues.  Is there a solution for every problem, or we'll have to live with conflicts and struggle till the end of our days?  I do not know.  And I am not very optimistic about having all the problems solved.  I simply do not see how the interest of different parties could line up.  At the same time, many people share Roosevelt's point of view of "between justice and peace, I choose justice".  Sounds justifiable, but - whose justice is it?!  Everybody fought for "good" causes, and conflicts will never disappear as long as there are different parties that have different definition of justice.

When I stepped out, it was already close to 9 pm.  After taking a couple of deep breaths, I tried to enjoy my night walk in Amsterdam, with all problems unloaded from my mind.