Douglas Easton Travel Blog
April 30, 2008

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Orange hair. Red, white and blue painted faces. Dancing in the streets. A beer in every hand. No, this isn't a Superbowl victory party... It's the Queen's Birthday! Not the current queen's, mind you, but why sweat the details? Today is the day Amsterdam, along with the rest of the Netherlands, shakes off months of winter and pays tribute to the Royal House of Orange.
The streets of Amsterdam have been transformed into the largest city-wide outdoor party we've ever seen. On every street and canal throughout this gorgeous city, revelers are dancing, singing and partying with the enthusiasm of college sophomores. It's difficult to see where land ends and water begins as boats of all sizes line up end to end slowly transporting their cargo of party-goers throughout the city's maze of canals.
We spent the day enjoying the gusto and friendliness with which the locals have turned out to celebrate. People are ready to share a drink or a dance with complete strangers.
Toward sunset, we stepped out of the frenzy and into the past with a visit to the Anne Frank House, a tribute to the human spirit enduring the worst of conditions. The museum movingly preserves the real-life conditions endured by the Frank family as seen through the eyes of their teenaged daughter, Anne. A must-see for anyone visiting Amsterdam, one can't help but walk away with a deeper appreciation of the atrocities committed by the Nazis during WWII.

We now prepare to head way, WAY north to the land of the midnight sun, for dog-sledding and a polar bear safari......Norway's territory of Svalbard!


Past Travel Blogs:
 06/08/10
 09/24/09
 09/09/09
 09/04/09
 08/27/09
 08/09/09
 07/19/09
 05/06/09
 04/25/09
 04/08/09
 04/02/09
 03/08/09
 03/06/09
 02/22/09
 02/10/09
 02/04/09
 02/02/09
 11/18/08
 11/12/08
 11/10/08
 11/06/08
 10/30/08
 10/20/08
 09/28/08
 09/16/08
 09/10/08
 09/03/08
 07/06/08
 05/30/08
 05/23/08
 05/11/08
 04/20/08
 04/13/08
 04/08/08
 02/24/08
 02/16/08
 01/24/08
 01/08/08
 01/04/08
 01/03/08
 01/02/08
 01/01/08
 12/30/07
 12/29/07
 12/28/07
 06/01/07
 05/26/07
 05/22/07
 05/18/07
 05/04/07
 05/02/07
 04/10/07
 04/08/07
 04/03/07
 04/01/07
 03/31/07
 03/30/07
 03/26/07
 03/23/07
 03/20/07
 03/18/07
 03/13/07
 03/08/07
 02/17/07
 12/15/06
 12/13/06
 11/22/06
 11/09/06
 11/04/06
 10/30/06
 10/25/06
 10/18/06
 10/12/06
 10/06/06
 10/03/06
 09/28/06
 09/24/06
 09/17/06
 
Douglas Easton Travel (310) 657-0263 FAX (310) 657-0253 email - info@CelestielleGroup.com