AIAmsterdam
Today started slightly earlier than previous days but for good reason.
Our first stop was the Anne Frank House. We timed it perfectly and after a short wait were second inside for the day. This meant the whole experience was unrushed, quiet and cool (as in temperature). It was a sombre journey through the two years of the family’s hiding from the Nazi’s and of course the tragic end.
The rest of the day turned out very different to what he had expected as plan B turned into Plan C turned into Plan D.
We had hoped to get the ‘Instagram’ famous Rudi’s Stroopwwaffel’ but after walking the full length of the Albert Cuyp street market and half way back again we finally found his stall with a note saying he would not be open today. What the aborted mission did do was get us to the market and that was worth it and we enjoyed walking amongst the various stalls and still had a stroopwaffel, albeit from a less famous stall, and left with some mementos of our time in Amsterdam.
Our plan was then to make our way about an hour and a half south of Amsterdam to a Nazi concentration camp. But it seemed that the quoted train ticket price we had received for the train trip was for one person… one way! And there was still an additional bus trip thereafter not factored in. That spooked us a little so after consulting our various lists of things to do and suggestions from friends we had stored, we decided to take a short train ride to Haarlem.
After the intense craziness that is Amsterdam, Haarlem was the perfect antidote. A short walk along the picturesque streets and we found the main square. We decided to ask ChatGPT for a short itinerary for our afternoon in Haarlem.
First up was a visit to St Bavokerk an impressive church built in 1307. As an added bonus the organist was practicing while we were there. The organ pipes stand nearly 30m high and it’s one of the world’s most historically significant organs. Many famous musicians have played this organ, including Mendelssohn, Händel and a 10-year-old Mozart.
We then took a walk along the canals to the Molen De Adriaan. While waiting for our tour of the mill to start, we had a quick look around a nearby 37m domed ex-prison now arts hub Koepelgevangenis, what a fascinating use of this space, it even has an art film cinema.
The mill tour was both engaging and educational, especially in revealing the many ways the power generated by the sails was used. So more than just turn the millstones.
Our leisurely search for dinner was interrupted by a predicted but still sudden thunderstorm so we decided to cut our losses and make our way back ‘home’.
And just like that, another great day drew to a close.
