The Netherlands

Amsterdam

Anne Frank Huis

After Maggie finished reading The Diary of Anne Frank, we decided we had to go to Amsterdam to see the Anne Frank Museum. For me it was the ultimate teaching/learning experience, and I was impressed with Maggie’s maturity and how well she understood the novel. The reflections film at the end was a highlight for both of us. Maggie loved Whoopi Goldberg’s humorous and honest reflections on Anne Frank, and I loved Emma Thompson’s quote: “All her would-haves are our opportunities”.

Canal Cruise

We took a short boat cruise on the canal to get back to the train station in order to catch the train back to our campsite. After a day of walking around the city, playing football at two different parks (CJ’s favourite pastime), and eating a variety of foods at a food hall, the canal cruise was a great way to end our visit to Amsterdam.

Giethoorn

We decided to spend another night in the Netherlands and took the opportunity to visit Giethoorn, an idyllic town with lots of bridges and canals instead of roads. We’re very glad we visited during the off season because with the narrow paths and bridges we can’t imagine what it would have been like during the summer. Maggie and CJ felt like they were in a fairy tale, while Chris and I enjoyed a delicious detour to The House of Cheese shop.