I experienced three new modes of transportation in Amsterdam that I hadn't before on this trip. The first was a ferry. I had to ride across a canal to get from my hostel to the main part of the city, and a ferry was the most effective way. To get from the right side of the canal to the museums, I took a tram. A tram is essentially a metro that's above ground. It moves along a track and is supported by cables that stretch from building to building. Lastly, I rented a bike to get around the city. There are bikes everywhere in Holland and specific bike lanes on most roads and sidewalks. It can be hard to navigate the bike paths on busy roads with cars, but I overcame that challenge. I find it interesting how different systems of public transportation are set up to support the needs of individual cities.
The most interesting place I visited was the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam. Anne Frank was a Jewish girl who went into hiding during the Holocaust. Eventually her family was discovered and she unfortunately did not survive. However, she kept a diary that allowed historians to better understand the life of children during that time. I found the museum fascinating because I learned much about their struggles in hiding. They couldn't walk too loudly or even use running water during the day. I cannot even imagine what life must have been like for them. I believe that visiting places such as this are imperative to the growth of our society because we can learn from our mistakes and work toward a different, better future.
