Amsterdam #1

A flying visit,
To wander beside canals,
And breathe the city.

A whirlwind trip to Amsterdam to meet friends and enjoy the city.
Most of our plans went awry one way or another, but we did meet up with the group from Southend (we flew from Gatwick),  we enjoyed the tastes, sights and sounds (and smells) of the city.

We also managed to visit the Ann Frank house (thanks to having a very organised friend who had pre-booked for us!).  So sad and moving to see it.  Although uplifting in a way to see the trouble their friends had gone to to help them.  The thing which struck me the most was the ordinariness of the Frank family and their friends.  They were just like us.
 So tragic that she didn't survive, but her spirit lives on through the house and the diary.   In  a perverse way the house and the death of most of her family at the hands of the Nazis now stands as a memorial to all those who suffered and a reminder of the cruelty and madness of those times. 
   
After bidding the Southend contingent farewell, as they headed for their flight home, Taurie and I wandered a bit more and then headed back to our hotel to rest our feet and enjoy the view over the water (see extras).