This
weekend was my last weekend abroad. We had no program trips scheduled so
I traveled to Amsterdam for two days with eight other students. We had an
amazing weekend and we are thoroughly exhausted from our travels! It is a funny
feeling getting back to Prague because I feel as if I am coming home. I
will actually be arriving to my real home on Thursday evening, but I guess
Prague will do for now! ;)
On
Saturday, we arrived in Amsterdam fairly early in the morning. We went
straight to the Anne Frank House to get our spot in line. We waited for
about an hour to get in but it was worth it. The house was packed with
objects, records, and photos from Anne Frank's well-known story. It was a
must-see for us!
Our early morning wait at the Vaclav Havel Airport!
Coincidentally,
it was Gay Pride Week in Amsterdam and Saturday hosted the Canal Boat Float
Parade. The Gay Pride Week events were taking over the city and we were
happy to enjoy the celebrations. After the parade, we checked in to our
hotels, had dinner, and made plans for the night. A couple of us decided
to take a tour of the Red Light District while others opted to enjoy the
celebratory atmosphere. The tour of the Red Light District was easily one
of my favorite things that I have done so far. It was very informative
and obviously provocative. We learned a lot about the history of
prostitution in Amsterdam and about sex workers in general. I will admit,
it was very different from any other tour I have ever taken, but I am very
happy that I did it.
A busy street in the Red Light District.
On
Sunday, we went to the Van Gogh Museum as soon as it opened. On our way
out we saw that we made a good decision to go early as there was a line
wrapping around the corner to get in. Needless to say, the museum was
great. I personally enjoyed seeing the paintings that I learned about in
my art history classes at Drexel.
Standing in front of one of my favorite pieces at the Van Gogh Museum.
We
dedicated the rest of our day to wandering around the city, looking in stores,
and enjoying the weather. We headed back to the airport around 5:00pm (or
17:00 if you are in Europe) and made our way back to Prague. I only have
a couple of days left so I will be trying to make them count!
Hey Josie - this looks like a really fun weekend! I would've loved to be able to get to Amsterdam, but didn't have the time and Italy is a bit far. So glad you could have this unique experience!
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