bikes, bikes, bikes

I made it to Amsterdam!

Just using a computer in a dingy little "coffee" (ahem) shop down the street from our hostel. We flew in last night, and somehow navigated ourselves to the correct train and busses to get to our hostel. Public transportation practices are different in every country, which makes these things a little tricky. At least most people speak English here...

We exchanged to euros at the airport which hurt a little. Every purchase I make I realize that it is actually 50% more. Bummer. Oh well, it's vacation, right?

Ok, so, Amsterdam is pretty amazing. The whole city is centered around a series of canals (the Canal ring). I'm positive I've seen more bikes than cars here. We are planning on renting bikes tomorrow...it's only about 7 euros for a full day of riding. Today we've just walked around since everything is pretty close. The feeling here is completely different from Prague. There are young people everywhere..and the fashion and attitudes are much more like L.A. Every street has bakeries, coffeeshops, cafes, bookstores, boutiques.

We went to the Anne Frank house today. So amazing climbing up those attic stairs behind the bookcase up to the Annex. There was a video at the end where Otto Frank (Anne's father and the only family member to survive) was talking about reading the diary for the first time. He said he was surprised at many of her feelings and criticisms, and that, though they were quite close, he felt he did not know this girl. Anne died in Bergen-Belsen a week before they were liberated, unaware that her father was still alive.

I'll post pictures when I can (probably Sunday or Monday night).

I miss everyone very much.