Happy Easter from Amsterdam the final post!

 

Hello all, its been a busy crazy week.  So here is the final post about Amsterdam and Easter.  Well, the next day was Sunday ( Easter) .  We really didn't have any plans except to go to church and Kevin woke up really sick.  So we pretty much went to and English reform church, it was a beautiful church.  Here are some pics of Ivy all dressed up in the hotel room ready to go in her pretty Easter dress.

The service was very nice.  The Pastor was an Interim from Scotland.  He gave a great kids service as well. He told how the egg symbolized the tomb in Scotland and on Easter day they roll the Easter eggs down the hill and a symbol of the tomb being rolled away. I thought was a very interesting way to look at it.  Here are a few pics from outside the church and in the courtyard.

We had a nice lunch after and then we just enjoyed the gorgeous day walking around town at our leisure.  It was a nice way to spend Easter Sunday.  Here are just a few pics from the day.

Then we had pizza for dinner and went back to the hotel to relax. The last full day in Amsterdam was rainy.  We had planned on getting up going to a place that served an English breakfast ( very delicious if I do say myself) then we were headed to the Rijksmuseum and then the Van Gogh Museum.  The Rijksmuseum was quite large and had a lot to see. So we never made it to the Van Gogh Museum.  Here are some pics of the outside, a Rembrandt, Van Gogh , and Ivy's favorite thing there.

There was this room of miniature ships.  Ivy loved this room and one display in particular. There was a ship that was cut in half with different layers.  On each floor it had miniature videos playing so it look like little people on the ship. She was so fascinated by this.

We had an early evening as Ivy was run down and now sick.  We headed back to the Hotel and turned the TV on to see if there were any movies to watch and relax.  When you first turned on the TV there was a rocking song from the hotel with their menu screen.  I was beebopping on the bed and Ivy thought that was fun and wanted to do that "Do that" is what she says.  So she climbed in bed next to me and we started jamming.  Kevin thought it was cute so he took a video of it.

 

 

We had a nice but tiring trip and we were all sick.  Ivy came home to a little Easter basket with a few cheap sand toys and a tiny Chocolate bunny.  We did die eggs this year but I never got around to posting pictures on that either. We had a very nice trip but we realized that we missed a lot of things so if we ever go back we know what we want to see. 

Happy Easter Part 2 in Amsterdam!!!

Well, its taken me a few days to get to this next post and the most beautiful post as I have been sick the past 2 days.  The second day in Amsterdam started out foggy and cold.  The weather was calling for 17 and sunny.  We decided to Start at Anne Frank's hiding place then if it was sunny and warm to head to Keukenhof gardens to see the beautiful flowers.  So we decided to get in line and then one of us would go run and get a pastry from the pastry shop and eat breakfast and drink our coffee.  The line was ridiculously long as it had been the day before.  We went ahead and got in it not knowing how long the wait really was.  Now just a little info and hint to any of you out there interested in going to Amsterdam and going to see Anne Frank's hiding place. You can buy tickets ahead of time on line if you know what date you are interested in going.  We tried but with us booking our trip so late all tickets were booked. So that meant we had to get in line and wait.  While discussing where we were going to pick up breakfast ( about 20 min of standing in line) a member of the staff was walking around.  She came up to us and asked if the 3 of us were together and we of course said yes.  She said with the cold temperatures and the long wait it was unfair for Ivy to wait that long so she was going to move us to the front.  We proceeded to ask her how long the wait was and she responded 3 hours ( Jaw drop) .  Thanks to the cold temperatures and our little angel we were taken inside ahead of many, many others.  What luck!!! 
Any way, it was worth seeing and a must in my opinion.  I have to say though there are lots of stairs!!!  You have to remember that They were hiding on the upper level and it was 2 levels in the back.  So its a lot of standing and walking up stairs!!! Anne's father has all the furniture removed but everything else remains the same.  There are pictures in each room showing how it was when they were in hiding and its a very emotional experience or maybe I am just slightly emotional as a person.  It really puts it in to prospective more so than her diary or any movie.  You could not take any pics inside so I have one of us standing outside in front of the name and just one of the building to share. 

 

We pretty much ended up skipping breakfast but did take snacks so Ivy wouldn't starve.  Another note, if you take a backpack they make you wear it on the front.  My only thought is that its to keep someone from pick pocketing but I am really not sure.

 

After lunch we headed to Keukenhof. Now there are a few options there as well.  You can buy tickets on line but we decided to wait because we didn't know which day we were going.  It ended up being the best in the end.  The hotel sold a 5 hour tour for 45 euros and we went on our own to the airport, stood in line for 45 min bought and entry ticket and a bus ticket round trip for 23 euros.  You could do most any options.  They had canal tours were you road around a canal boat and saw flowers.  I will tell you this place is huge and is a lot of walking.  They even had a petting zoo.  Words can not describe the beauty and the pics you see here aren't even 1/3 of what took.  I am not even sure I am posting the best pics.  The rest of the post will be pics.  I may comment on a few but enjoy God's Gorgeous art work!!!!

 This Picture of Ivy and I was taken 10 minutes before she fell head first into the pond.  Kevin caught her at the waist.  She was soaked, scared and upset but ok.   It ended our trip a little early.  We still had about an hour left at the park.  We decided she need to get better clothes , we had the yellow sweater and a furry vest but her jeans were wet. So we did a quick walk through and then left. 

I hope you enjoyed this pictures.  Like I said this isn't a 1/3 of all I took and they may not even be some of the best pics.  I will do one more post on Amsterdam and

Easter to wrap up .  It will likely be in the next day or two.  In the mean time enjoy the beauty!!!!