The building on Prinsengracht looked like any other canal house in Amsterdam in 1942. But, in it was penned the book whose readership is second only to the Bible. Of course, I speak of The Diary of Anne Frank.The sky was grey and dull as visitors queued for the museum tour. We walked behind the infamous bookcase and up the steep staircase to the place where eight people hid for two years, in an effort to escape Nazi persecution. Several family friends supplied food, despite the risks involved. The Dutch had a strong underground movement during World War II, supporting the numerous repressed Jews.
The rooms were void of furniture, removed in August, 1944 by the Nazis after the hideout was reported. But the faded cut-out magazines that Anne placed to cheer up the space, and the pencil marks on the wall, which measured the children’s heights during their seclusion, are still evident.
The original red plaid diary was displayed in a special case. Otto Frank thought it was miraculous that it was saved. The diary was first published in 1947, and has now been translated into 65 languages with 25 million copies sold.
Shopping definitely felt too frivolous after such a tour. For us, eating is always timely!! We went to Amsterdam’s most famous pancake house, serving monster crepes with a variety of fillings. The Indonesian chicken with peanut sauce was delish. Indonesian cuisine is popular in Holland, the blending of cultures a throwback from the Dutch East Indies days of expanding empires.
A tram ride back to the hotel, and a commitment to another morning workout rounds out the day.
Monica,
ReplyDeleteThat is an excellent article, very interesting & well written. I think, you would make a great writer.
Those pancakes sound delicious. I expect, you both tried, some of those fillings!!
I see, the morning work outs, are kept very much on schedule. The only way to to go.
Take care,
Verna