Amsterdam a Cultural Delight

The Museums of Amsterdam is wonderful. The city itself is beautiful and extremely user friendly. The VanGogh Museum was a persnal favorite. The people of Amsterdam are known for there multi-lingual abilities and for their liberal social views. Very friendly people.

Quick Tips:

Amsterdam is built on canals and is extemely easy to get around in. Bicycles are the transportation of choice for most residents.

Best Way To Get Around:

There is easy to use public transportation and you can easily walk around and see many things. Walking in and of itself is a wonerful adventure.

The hotel faces the beautiful city park, Vondelpark and is near many museums. It is well kept and the staff are very friendly and helpful. The rooms are nice and have ample room by European standards. The Hotel provides concierge, room service for drinks, baby-sitting and in-house movies. Half the rooms overlook the park and the location is excellent.

As you walk into the Anne Frank house you enter their living quarters through a tiny door way that was hidden behind a bookcase. Immediatley chills ran through me as I ascended the narrow staircase. I have read her book and several accounts of the life of Anne Frank and others who hid in a similar manner but nothing prepared me for this experience. When you reach the top of the stairs and actually see the tiny space 8 people called home for more than two years it brings tears to your eyes. The room that was Anne's space still had the pictures of movie stars hanging on the walls. That struct me as sad and sweet at the same time. The typical dreams of a teenage girl in any country in any time were still alive for her even in theses unbearable circumstances. The thought of the adults and the children that lived in terror, trapped and unable to leave for even a moment of fresh air and sunlight it is unbelievable. I don’t think I had ever grasped the intensity of the living space, the lack of privacy and the cramped conditions. The living space itself would have been intolerable, but coupled with the hunger, fear and the inability to make even the slightest noise during the daytime, it is unimaginable how they survived as long as they did. This is truly a monument to the human spirit and the will to live. It was clearly a very emotional experience for everyone there. The tour is a must do. It also includes a short movie about Anne and her family and other momentos of the house. It is in the condition it was while they were there. In the summer you may have to wait for an hour or so to get in, but the museum is well worth the wait.

Phone 020/673-2121. There are five depts., painting, print room, sculpture and decorative arts, Dutch history, and asiatic art. There are works by Rembrandt, van Ruisdael, van Heemskerck, Frans Hals, Van Dyck, Goya, and Rubens and many many more. You can spend days in this museum alone.

This is the contemporary art museum of Amsterdam. It houses works of modern Dutch painters such Koooning and Piet Mondrian. There are also many French artists such as Chagall, Renoir, Monet, and Manet. It is a beautiful building and houses a wonderful collection. phone 020/573-2737

This museum opened in 1973 and houses almost all of the works of Vincent van Gogh, a native of Holland. You can see over 200 of vanGogh's paintings, displayed in a very simple manner. Van Gogh painted for only 10 years when he committed suicide at the age of 37. He was a prolific painter given his short career and his work is astonishing. This museum is a real must see. Self guided audio tours are available for $3.50 adults and $3.00 students. There is a children's studio in the lobby.