Life of a tourist (1).

After an excellent breakfast in the beautiful Winter Garden room (so nice), we set off for a thought provoking visit to Prinsengracht 263-265, the home of Anne Frank, her family and others in when in hiding from the Nazis during 1942-44. I’ve recently read a lot about her life, their existence and demise, and that dark period of European history. It would be wrong to say I enjoyed seeing their Attic (entrance behind the bookcase); it was a privilege, and I’m glad it’s been preserved. It was strange walking the streets a few minutes later, cobbles not that long ago that saw the Nazi jack boots and more during the oppression of the Jews, and Dutch population, during occupation. A different Europe then, so far removed from that of today, and one which Scotland is in the process of being removed from. I really identify with the EU.

We walked a good bit more and simply soaked up Amsterdam life, then after a short snack had an excellent canal trip from near Amsterdam Centraal Station.

We ate in the hotel, and top rate cocktails were had in The Tailor Bar; their team are highly acclaimed. I’d been given a drinks voucher the previous evening when one of the Guest Relations hospitality team was showing us around the hotel.

A walk round the Red Light district completed the day. Sad in many ways, but it’s part of Amsterdam life, and it goes with their liberal culture, the smell of some of which was wafting about on the breeze....