Amsterdam day 2

Woke up early this morning to go to the Anne frank house. We took our map out and walked there. Only about 10 minutes from the hostel. Once we got there it was the BIGGEST LINE EVER! Oh my word it was long! But it wasn't too cold at first so that was good. It got alot colder however because about half way through the wind really picked up. But nonetheless it was worth it! After 2 hours of standing in line we got inside it was such an interesting and moving musesum. It's in the actual attic that the frank family hid in during the war. We got to see all their rooms, kitchen, bathroom, offices and much more. We got to see the actual bookcase that hid the family in the attic. And the actual Anne Frank Diary! Beyond words cool! There were also recent video clips of her friends speaking on her behalf on what kind of a person she was, etc. And her father had a clip aswell. He was the only one from the 8 people that hid in the attic to survive the war. Such a powerful musesum to experience. 

After this we had lunch, then walked down to a flower market that didn't have much flowers but a lot more of tourist shops with places to buy souvenirs etc. 

Headed back towards the hostel after the market and along the way stopped in shops and browsed. Just looked at all the different types of things they have and what they sell. 

We went to the musesum of prostitution, ya that was one of the strangest Musesums I have ever been in. After that just more shops in central and we went into a cheese shop aswell. So cool! You can sample everything and it was all fresh and so many different types to try! 

We walked around for the rest of the night, just being outside in Amsterdam during the night is an experience in itself!  

Anne Frank house 

Bookcase that hid the family in the attic 

Anne Franks diary 

Line at the Anne Frank house~ line goes around 2 more streets 

Cheese store 

Amsterdam day 1

Woke up in Glasgow at jadyns house in theb we were off to the airport to catch our flight to Amsterdam! We arrived at about 4pm, and from the airport we took a train to central station. Then got off and walked to our hostel. Took a bit longer to locate the hostel than anytime before because we don't have service here. Only wifi when you can connect. So we didn't have google maps on the walk, and to top that off everything is in Dutch so you have a hard time reading streets signs. The streets are very tight where we are staying, there is only room for one car on the road, so you could walk to 5 different streets in not even 2 minutes because the streets are so close together. 

We got to the hostel, checked in and it was the dirtiest room I have been in so far! My bed wasn't even made! I had to ask reception for clean sheets because my bed was still in the shape that someone had just slept in. And the reception lady was 1 of the top 5 worst customer service workers I have ever dealt with in my life! So rude but not gonna get into that because Amsterdam is SO BEAUTIFUL! 

Oh my goodness Amsterdam is so pretty everywhere we have gone it's so nice! Such old talk buildings that are all right after one another, and everyone in this city rides a bike. The canals also make it 10 times more of a nicer city. It's all around one of the nicest cities I have ever been to in my entire life! 

We walked around after supper checking lots of different stuff out, going into random shops and just browsing. We picked up maps and stopped at places and planned out a little what we wanted to do over the next few days. Our hostel as not appealing as it is however is in the best location possible! Right in the centre of the city so it makes everything so easy to get to, and it's right in the middle of all the action going around. It's also only 3 streets away, so about a 2 minute walk from the red light district. (Red light district- where all the prostitutes are.. they stand in windows with a red light looming above them wearing little clothing and try to get people to come in.) Ya fun times in Amsterdam.. 

Windows at the Red Light District during the day. 

Cheese shop in central 

Edinburgh Weekend

Well after 14 days, 3 countries and countless things to see and learn about,  my trip with mom and dad has come to an end. I am so happy and grateful that my parents made the trip out here not just to holiday but to see me aswell. It was for sure a trip of a lifetime and I will never forget it! We got to see so many things along the way and now we have such great memories to hold onto! 

Mom and dad went to city centre airport this morning to catch a flight to London where they waited to catch their flight back home. Where as I went to the international airport and caught a flight to Edinburgh. 

Along our trip I decided I wanted to work/ live in Edinburgh. It's the most beautiful city I have ever been to. It is a much much smaller city than London so I feel a bit more at home because it's about the size of Edmonton. Compared to London's 8 million population. 

I arrived in Edinburgh in the morning and got a bus to the hostel that I'm staying at for the weekend. I checked in then went out and started handing out resumes. Over the weekend and from being here with mom and dad previously I handed out more than 40 resumes, I have had 3 call backs so fingers crossed I get a good job and then after that I can find accommodation. 

Living in hostels are really taking a toll on me. As I'm sure they would on any person! Not being able to unpack, and living with strangers every night. People constantly coming and going and some not being the nicest or best people to live with. It's harder than one would think. Which is why when I get a job I will start looking for a more permanent place to live. Even just for the summer so I don't get tied into a lease. Something where I can basically just have access to a kitchen and a bathroom but still get my own room. I wouldn't care if the kitchen and bathroom were shared as long as I get my own room. That's the main thing because I am really wanting to unpack my suitcase. I can't even do that in the hostel because when you go out you don't know whose checking into your room, so you can't leave your stuff out and about. Every single time I leave the hostel I have to lock up my suitcase with my labtop in it because I don't know whose coming or going. So of course I don't want anything getting stolen. 

Oh my god also for some reason they don't believe in having screens on their windows. Which is beyond ridiculous because their pigeons are on crack here and fly so close to you, and flap around beside your ears, and they are pretty much insaine. So of course this would happen to me. I walked into the kitchen and they window was open. I had my back turned and I was starting the stove when I heard a flapping noise and I turn around there are 2 pigeons on top of the fridge! I screamed so loud I'm pretty sure you could have heard me back in Canada.

I run to the door and just stand there looking at these birds and then one after the other they fly back to the window and fly out... Ya fun times. 

Another fun time at this hostel that I should mention. The hostel is set up a little differently than the rest I have been to. It's a big building with 4 doors to the outside. 1 being reception, the other 3 connecting you to the flats you stay in, and inside the flats are the rooms you stay in. So very big hostel. Well I am usually really good with bringing my key with me when I leave the room, but this one time I went to the bathroom and I don't bring the key, so the door locks behind me, and I have to go to reception to get someone to open the door. But lucky me I wasn't wearing shoes or even SOCKS! So I had to walk down 4 flights of concrete floor, then outside onto a busy street BAREFOOT! I looked homeless I'm sure! Like no joke if I had sat down and held out a cup people would have started putting pennies into it. That's how homeless I looked! 

The weekend went by pretty quick here in Edinburgh. It's Tuesday now and today me and Jadyn are leaving for Amsterdam! 

Belfast April 16th~ last day of our trip

Woke up this morning and first we went to the titanic musesum. Such an incredible massive musesum!! The titanic was built in Belfast so you know they had a lot of information and things to say about the titanic. It was actually built right beside where the musesum is and you can see where the ship sat while for those 26 months while she was being built. 

The musesum was so great! There were so many different exhibits and things inside to see, we were there for more than 3 and a half hours! I am absolutely obsessed with titanic and I'm so happy we went! 

It was when we were leaving when we saw that there was a smaller ship beside the musesum so we walked over to check it out and we ended up getting tickets and going inside because we found out it was the actual tender ship that carried 1st and 2nd class passengers from Southhampton to the titanic! 

A Tender ship is a small ship used to carry passengers or cargo to larger vessels. 

So on this ship we went on a tour of it and learned a lot more about these types of ships and titanic itself. Remember this was the actual ship that carried passengers to the titanic, so there were actual chairs and benches still on it as well as different kinds of linen. 

After we went through the tour of the "Nomadic" that's the ships name. We walked to the centre of the city, we stopped at a pub for a drink then went on our way to do a little shopping. After our shopping we went out for supper a a little restaurant. OH MY GOD this place most likely has the BEST soup in the entire world!! It was so good! Me and dad didn't even get soup, we got our own meals but once we tasted moms soup we had to get a bowl of our own to share. One of the best soups I have ever had in my entire life! It's right up there with grandmas famous chicken noodle soup! :) 

After supper we caught a cab back to the b&b and packed up all our things for in the morning both me mom and dad were going separate ways. I am going to one airport to leave for Edinburgh. And mom and dad are headed to another airport to leave for London, where they will wait for their connecting flight to Edmonton later that afternoon. 

Our cabs for the airport were coming at 6am so we just relaxed after we packed up and then slept quick for the early morning to come. 

Planks that the Titanic was built on, then where she was pushed into the water. 

Model of the titanic 

Replica of a lifeboat that the passengers were put into. 

The musesum from outside 

The Nomadic that took passengers to the titanic at Southhampton 

An actual picture of the Nomadic on it's way out to the Titanic 

Chairs that titanic passengers sat on. Over 100 years old