Amsterdam, Netherlands Mar 17, 2013 I saw two houses owned and inhabited by wealthy merchant families. The houses were built on two of Amsterdam's many canals.
Amsterdam, Netherlands Mar 17, 2013 The first thing I saw in Amsterdam was the Begijnhof. This was the residence of a group of beguines, Roman Catholic women who devoted their lives to charity and good works but differed from nuns in not taking vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience. The Amsterdam community of beguines survived from the Middle Ages until the last member died in 1971. After Amsterdam became Protestant, the presence of the beguines here became an open secret: Like the other Cat...
Amsterdam, Netherlands Mar 17, 2013 I arrived in Amsterdam yesterday for the first day of a fifteen-day trip to Europe. I spent the day walking around the city and exploring some museums. I didn't hit the red light district or go to any coffee shops. I had Indonesian food for the first time. Amsterdam is supposed to have the best in the world, because Indonesia is a former Dutch colony. The dishes I had reminded me a lot of Thai food, only less spicy (and not as good). After dinner, I hit up ...
Amsterdam, Netherlands Mar 16, 2013 After the Begijnhof, I went to the Amsterdam Museum, which told the history of the city, including the greatest Dutchman of all: not Rembrandt, or Van Gogh, or even one of the Princes of Orange, but Johan Cruijff, who gets an exhibit dedicated to him and is gets more coverage in the museum than either of the great artists.