Perspective

"Wow, there's just so much history there." This sentence is often one of the first things you hear from your non-European friends when discussing plans to travel to Europe. And it's one of the first things you mention when you come back from your voyage.

Whether you live in Sydney, Australia or Sydney, Nova Scotia, Calgary or California, your homegrown claims to an interesting history, while valid, simply don't measure up to the Michelangelos, the Arc de Triomphes, the cathedrals built in the 1100's, the sheer story of Europe.

That story is not always a pleasant one.

Spending a very grey Monday morning at the Anne Frank house in Amsterdam this week quickly puts a massive amount of perspective into one's life; suddenly you feel like an idiot for even thinking about complaining about having to hang your clothes up instead of putting them in a dryer, or feeling hungry and cranky if you're running late in your daily grind and haven't had your third meal of the day yet.

The museum (it is in fact her house, but the first few levels are laid out as a museum) is very tastefully done. Winding your way through it, and slowly upwards, there are photos and short video clips of the people involved in keeping the Frank family hidden. In all, eight people (seven for a while, and an eighth arrived for the remaining 20 months) were sharing space in the Secret Annex of the multi-level home for just over two years.

The impression of Anne Frank herself as a thoughtful, energetic, trapped, fearful, and altogether normal teenage girl really emerges through the excerpts of her diary printed on the walls of the museum and shown in display cases.

The curtains, dark brown and completely blocking out daylight, save for the skylight in the attic, left a very strong impression. They could not be opened even an inch for fear of being discovered by neighbors or the authorities.

It's even more striking when you see the how nice the area is right outside the house, with the Prinsengracht canal just in front. And an even stronger contrast when you consider the ugliness that walked those streets and ultimately into that house on August 4, 1944.

Days Like This

As a very worthy counterpoint to the day of October 20th ("Days Like These" entry), Sunday November 8th was a banner day here.

It was spent mostly in the Vondelpark, Amsterdam's version of the great urban park (see Park, Central, Royal, Mount, and Domain, Auckland, as well as any number of other well-planned and inspiring city green spaces). "Vondel" means walk, just FYI.

During the summertime, it is packed with Amsterdammers and tourists alike, vegging, picknicking, running, tripping, cycling, or listening to an outdoor concert. And often doing all of the above simultaneously.

Now that fall has arrived, the ponds and pathways are limited to a few tai chi'ers and chai tea'ers, as well as a fair number of joggers and locals cutting through the park on their way home from downtown.

Although rain is prevalent here in November, and wind even more so, Sunday morning provided a perfectly clear, breathless, 10-14 degree day.

Below is a walking photo album... as always, click on each picture for a bigger image.