Saturday in Amsterdam

While mom rested, I went out for a walk for a few hours. I wanted to visit the Royal Palace or City Hall in Dam Square. This is one of four official residences of King Willem Alexander. The balcony above the entrance is where the newly married Royals would greet the people.

In the center below you see the official coronation portrait of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.  In the photo to the right you see a desk.  This the desk where Queen Beatrix sat and signed the document abdicating the throne to her son, Willem-Alexander.

In Dam Square you see a white obelisk.  It was built in 1956 as a WWII memorial.  The Nazi's occupied Holland from 1940-1945 and deported 60,000 Jewish Amsterdamers.  The Hunger Winter of 1944-1945 killed thousands of people and forced people to survive by eating tulip bulbs. This monument is now considered a monument for peace.

In the 1500's Amsterdam was taken over by Protestant extremists.  For the next 2 centuries Catholics had to worship in secret.  Here is one of the  secret Catholic Churches-De Papegaai Hidden Church.

Here is another example hidden in the Begijnhof courtyard.  The windows were blacked out as well to conceal that it was a church. 

The Begijnof neighborhood has sheltered single women since 1346.  Beguines were simple, pious women who had dedicated their lives to God.  The last Beguine died in 1971 but the the area still provides subsidized housing to single women, mostly Catholic seniors.

The English Reformed Church was buit in 1420.  The Pilgrims found sanctuary in this church before sailing to America.

This black wooden house is the city's oldest dating back to 1528.

Saturday night we went on a dinner train experience.  4 course mackerel appetizer, vegetarian soup, and lamb for dinner with a lovely dessert to follow.  We also had some great wine and a lovely train ride.

Another great day in Amsterdam!