How to Say Goodbye
July 28th, 2015
Begijnhof, older than America itself.
Zaanse Schans
For our second day in Amsterdam and last day in Europe, we took in more sights of Amsterdam. We started the day with early tickets to the Anne Frank House. This meant we were actually let in before the museum opened and avoided the crowds. This was especially useful as by the time we left, we could see the line was a three hour wait! The museum was a somber experience and it was interesting to see where the family hid and lived. By the time we left, there was a line for blocks which we were told would take 3 hours to get through.
We visited Begijnhof, a grouping of homes and churches that have been around since 1150 when a group of women developed the religious community. The courtyard was beautiful and we were able to visit one of the chapels.
Milling away!
We headed to the windmills of Zaanse Schans, which has eight windmills clustered together as an open-air museum. Many are still working mills and it was interesting to see all the various items they made and continue to make here. There were saw mills, oil, paint, etc. We decided to visit the mill that made paint, which was up and running during our tour. It was fascinating to be inside the mill and watch all the parts moving up close. We were even able to climb to the outside and get a closer look at the sails. It was incredibly windy and standing so close, you could feel just how powerful the sails are. We also found a clog factory and were able to watch a demonstration of how wooden clogs are made. More importantly, we tried some on too!
So many bicycles!
After returning to Amsterdam, we grabbed delicious sandwiches at Singel 404 for lunch and grabbed pancakes for dessert! We strolled the streets and canals a little more, taking in our final moments of Europe. It was a perfect end to our time in Amsterdam and our last month.
