Amsterdam

This past weekend, Melanie, Teresa, and I traveled to Amsterdam. I was really unsure what to expect but these are the main observations I found:

1. Amsterdam is one of the cleanest European cities I've seen.
2. The Anne Frank house is a little overrated. Don't get me wrong, it was really cool to be standing in a place where such a tragically, famous story took place, but the rooms were bare with just pictures and writings on the walls. There was no furniture or appliances, so it was hard to really grasp a sense of reality when walking around the house.

Best observations in the Anne Frank house:
-Actual pencil marks on the wall where the Anne Frank and her sister recorded their height.
-The bookcase that hid their secret living corridors.
-Actual wallpaper where Anne Frank decorated her wall to make it more homey
-Seeing the actual Anne Frank diary

3. The Van Gogh museum is really amazing. I am not a big art buff, but a lot of his work is very capturing and I am really glad I took the time to go.
4. Yes, marijuana is legal and no, not everyone is walking around blazed out of their minds. There are coffeeshops on about every corner but they are mainly filled with tourists.
5. Locals are very nice. Comparing everywhere I've traveled this summer, the Irish and people in the Netherlands were very outgoing and willing to help with any questions we had about directions.

Below are some pictures from my trip! 



Anne Frank House



Cool Mosaic entrance at a coffeeshop



Pancake Corner!!! Sooo good



Inside the Pancake House. Mel and I natrually got the unhealthiest item on the menu: pancakes covered in chocolate with vanilla ice cream and whipcream!

 Overall, Amsterdam was one of my favorite cities. The people, culture, food, and ambiance of the city was unforgettable and I hope I can come back again one day.