Amsterdam, The Netherlands -- October 2004

Truth be told, Amsterdam is my least favorite place I've been. I never really felt safe while I was there. To be fair, it is a beautiful place -- bridges, trees, flowers, people on bikes everywhere. I would like to go back during tourist season, but I would also really like to explore other areas of the country. The Anne Frank House was the highlight of my trip. I, like so many others, read the diary of Anne Frank many times. My grandfather even acted in a play about it when I was about 10 years old. Visiting the spot where she and her family hid was surreal, eerie, and haunting. As the floorboards creak beneath you, you can imagine how difficult it was for her family to hide. It was very, very moving. I wouldn't mind visiting there again, as well as taking the time to visit the Van Gogh museum during the spring when the tulips are in bloom. I was not especially impressed with the presence of drugs, nor the Red Light district, but that's just not my scene.

Canon point and shoot, Minolta 35mm