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Our last blog entry!!
We arrived in Amsterdam at 3.30pm, after a rather dramatic journey (which involved running for the train in the last minute, meeting guys from the German army etc) We got a tram to our hostel and dumped our bags in our room (the first time we've had our OWN room since Slovakia!) As Ali couldn't talk due to her extreme hunger, and Cam was close to collapsing (watching a tattoo done didn't help matters!) we all went for a delicious Italian meal, complete with garlic bread-mmm!
Afterwards, we walked to the Anne Frank house and spent a good few hours there. It was very interesting to see how the living quarters of the Franks were concealed by a single bookcase. Moreover, it was fascinating how they managed to live in such a small place for four years! Like Auschwitz, we were moved by the experience and found it very frustrating that the Franks could have escaped the torture of the concentration camps; their hiding place was betrayed a few months before liberation.
At the end of the exhibition, a mini stadium has been built with seats equipped with two buttons on the arm rest. A clip is shown with a question presented at the end. The audience are expected to vote and the results are displayed in the form of a pie-chart. It was very interesting as Otto Frank, Anne's father, released his daughter's diary to the world in order to educate us the consequences of intolerance. We naively believed that all intorelance has been rid of. However, when the audience were asked to vote for gay rights to be removed, the majority voted 'yes'. This shocking view made us realise that there is still much intolerance and discrimination in the world...
We were too tired and poor to do anything else afterwards so we retired to the hostel and played cards, before heading to sleepland.
The next day, we woke up early and showered. We then sat around for AGES, contemplating what to wear for the day, as it wasn't any ordinary day...oh no! It was the day when the one and only Philippa Merricks was due to join us again for our last destination! Thus, it was paramount that we looked our best We met Philippa in the town square and went to a nearby cafe to catch up. T'was lovely to see her again!
Our next stop was the infamous sex museum. It was very graphic and definitely not appropriate for the faint hearted! However, it was very enlightening too and we recommend all of you to visit! We then headed back to the hostel and got ourselves geared up for our final night. We went to a Thai restaurant and indulged ourselves (got a three course meal for 12 euros! Bargain!) Erika surprised everyone by ordering a coffee and actually finishing it (this is the girl who refuses to touch hot drinks!) We then hit all the coffee shops within sight (for those who are clueless as to what coffee shops are, they are cafes that provide tea, muffins, cakes, milkshakes etc with large quantities of dope mixed in it.) Ali and Erika had two muffins each and a cup of tea, while Phils and Cam reached out for their usual Corona. We ended up in an Australian bar and danced the night away.
We passed the next morning in a cafe, as Ali and Erika were feeling rather light headed. We reminisced about our memories of the past two months and took turns to go shopping before getting the train to the airport.
Amsterdam was amazingly fun, and we definitely finished off our travels with a bang! Although our time in Europe was very eventful, it was also an invaluable experience. As St. Augustine so rightly puts it: the World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page. We learnt so much, but not enough. Thus, we have developed an insatiable thirst to see the rest of the world...so watch this space!
Thank you so much to everyone who have left us messages throughout our travels.
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