Tuesday 17th
We had our tea, biscuits, worried about last minute packing and set out for the central station, Frankfurt. It was feeling strange because we would now come back to this station after 48-50 days, weary, tired, excited, sad and a bag full of stories.
Sil offered to take us to the station. On route we picked up some apples for the journey. Traveling by 1st class is a different experience. To be offered, pampered and off course spacious seats. We enjoyed hot steaming coffee and panini while the scenery changed. From towns by the rail tracks to the country sides and vast open spaces. It took us about few hours to reach Amsterdam.
The station at Amsterdam is located by the canal. The place was abuzz with people. We asked our way to the place we were staying in. A neat hostel called "The Shelter" run by the christian missionaries, in a locality called Zdyke. We took a brief tour of the place. It was teeming with youngsters. The cafe had a large piano and a man singing on it with great facial expressions. The rooms had bunk beds and overlooked the courtyard. The courtyard had a lovely pond which had lilies, lotuses and fishes. Overall a nice comfortable place to hang our walking shoes.
We were like people on a mission, to cram up every bit of history, culture, food, anything that came in our day. Almost immediately we moved out to explore the city. Our first destination was the house of Anne Frank. Many years ago I had read up the book and the fact that we were visiting that place gave me the shivers. We had a map of the city and armed with information from the tourist booth we started our walk towards the house which is now a museum (walking became an essential part of of our travel, now when we look back it amazes how far we walked and where all we walked). The house stands still next to a canal. The walls bare, stark, cold. The tourists all fell in line and there were hushed whispers in the silence. We climbed narrow stairs, reached the living room. There was the small wooden cabinet there. Behind which was the entry to the room where the family stayed for almost 2 years during the war. On display were her story, writings, drawings and a pot with Chinese inscriptions.
We walked around in silence and came down the staircase and out of the house.
Right next to the museum is a small statue of Anne Frank herself, covered with graffiti (strange). Opposite to it is the one meter shop (weird). They sell trinkets and the signs leading to the shop are bigger than the shop itself!
Two apples and souvenir shopping later, we started walking towards the center of the city towards the market place. Before we sat for the late lunch or early dinner as you may call, we went to visit the Temple of Venus (a lovely place with lot of naughtiness. smirk smirk).
Still laughing, we entered the nearby pizzeria and had a delicious cheesy pasta and polished it of with beer.
We started our walk back to The Shelter and crossed a network of canals that can be explored by boats. Romance was certainly not on our minds and our feet were giving away. We reached the hostel. We sipped some tea and rested in the courtyard. A group of youngsters were playing loud musical instruments and generally making merry.
Tired that we were we limped to our bed. Mine was the bunk on top which had a funny tilt and my weight was not helping it earlier. Sliding, tossing, turning and with noise filtering in through the windows (ugh!!), sleep came through.
We had our tea, biscuits, worried about last minute packing and set out for the central station, Frankfurt. It was feeling strange because we would now come back to this station after 48-50 days, weary, tired, excited, sad and a bag full of stories.
Sil offered to take us to the station. On route we picked up some apples for the journey. Traveling by 1st class is a different experience. To be offered, pampered and off course spacious seats. We enjoyed hot steaming coffee and panini while the scenery changed. From towns by the rail tracks to the country sides and vast open spaces. It took us about few hours to reach Amsterdam.
The station at Amsterdam is located by the canal. The place was abuzz with people. We asked our way to the place we were staying in. A neat hostel called "The Shelter" run by the christian missionaries, in a locality called Zdyke. We took a brief tour of the place. It was teeming with youngsters. The cafe had a large piano and a man singing on it with great facial expressions. The rooms had bunk beds and overlooked the courtyard. The courtyard had a lovely pond which had lilies, lotuses and fishes. Overall a nice comfortable place to hang our walking shoes.
We were like people on a mission, to cram up every bit of history, culture, food, anything that came in our day. Almost immediately we moved out to explore the city. Our first destination was the house of Anne Frank. Many years ago I had read up the book and the fact that we were visiting that place gave me the shivers. We had a map of the city and armed with information from the tourist booth we started our walk towards the house which is now a museum (walking became an essential part of of our travel, now when we look back it amazes how far we walked and where all we walked). The house stands still next to a canal. The walls bare, stark, cold. The tourists all fell in line and there were hushed whispers in the silence. We climbed narrow stairs, reached the living room. There was the small wooden cabinet there. Behind which was the entry to the room where the family stayed for almost 2 years during the war. On display were her story, writings, drawings and a pot with Chinese inscriptions.
We walked around in silence and came down the staircase and out of the house.
Right next to the museum is a small statue of Anne Frank herself, covered with graffiti (strange). Opposite to it is the one meter shop (weird). They sell trinkets and the signs leading to the shop are bigger than the shop itself!
Two apples and souvenir shopping later, we started walking towards the center of the city towards the market place. Before we sat for the late lunch or early dinner as you may call, we went to visit the Temple of Venus (a lovely place with lot of naughtiness. smirk smirk).
Still laughing, we entered the nearby pizzeria and had a delicious cheesy pasta and polished it of with beer.
We started our walk back to The Shelter and crossed a network of canals that can be explored by boats. Romance was certainly not on our minds and our feet were giving away. We reached the hostel. We sipped some tea and rested in the courtyard. A group of youngsters were playing loud musical instruments and generally making merry.
Tired that we were we limped to our bed. Mine was the bunk on top which had a funny tilt and my weight was not helping it earlier. Sliding, tossing, turning and with noise filtering in through the windows (ugh!!), sleep came through.
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