After a delicious Dutch breakfast we took a bus to Amsterdam where we picked up our new guide. Our Amsterdam guide rode on the bus with us for the next 3 hours to give us an informative tour of Amsterdam. We stopped along the Amstel River to see and learn more about the mercantile industry of Amsterdam. This merchant sector at the mouth of the North Sea has been a focal point of this nation for centuries. As we drove through the city we saw crocuses, daffodils and pansies. With the sun shining we drove along Museum Street, Central station, City Hall, learned about the constant pressure of living on water while observing this from our tour, learned about the present culture, and took time to learn the tradition steps of making Gouda cheese and kloompen. The cheese and klompen factory was a traditional Dutch interactive experience that we all enjoyed. From here we drove to the centre of the city, Dam Square for lunch and then went to the Anne Frank museum for a tour. This museum was a very moving experience as the group gained so much about the life of the Jewish people at this time with a focus on the Frank family. After this, the group took a canal boat tour of Amsterdam! Dining together on Stompot with sausage at an amazing restaurant, we all enjoyed a great evening. It was really fun to connect with a past colleague from HDCH that night along with some family too! After dinner was the perfect time for buying dropies, Dutch treats and mementos. Back at the Apollo hotel, there was time for card games and fun! A fabulous day with perfect weather, amazing scenery and Dutch culture that seemed to be a highlight for many!
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