David's Diary: Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2001

Anne Frank Huis and Flowers

We are staying near the ring road of Amsterdam, so after breakfast we once again catch the tram into the center of town. The children are still getting used to the idea of meat and cheese for breakfast and chocolate sprinkles on toast (called Chocolade Hagelslag in Dutch), but they are starting to realize that not everyone in the world starts their day like we do. We get off at Dam Square, the center of Amsterdam. Dam Square was built to dam the Amstel river, which is where you get the name Amsterdam. Dam was the original market square for the city.

Before coming to Amsterdam yesterday, Jocelyn had her braces removed. She has only had them on for eight months, but after careful consultation with a Dutch Orthodontist we conclude that it is not feasible to continue leaving them on. We had serious concerns before leaving Vancouver about Jocelyn's braces, but our Orthodontist in Vancouver seemed confident that we could find suitable medical help, even though it would have to be once a month. After a visit with a French Orthodontist and the one here in the Netherlands, we have concluded that there is too much risk to Jocelyn's teeth to continue with the braces. Jocelyn is relieved to have them removed, although less than excited about having to wear a mouth-guard for a week. We just hope that removing the braces now does not set Jocelyn back when we return to Vancouver.

Anne Frank Huis

Anne Frank is one of the world's best known symbols against oppression. During the second world war, Anne was part of a Jewish family living in Amsterdam. Her father, Otto Frank, took the entire family into hiding in 1942. They lived above and behind the warehouse that Otto had started after he moved to Amsterdam from Germany before the start of the Second World War. In 1944, the family was discovered and deported to the death camps.

Anne wrote a personal diary in the tiny cramped quarters and after the war her diary was published as a book. Anne did not survive the war and her personal observations as recorded in her diary provide us with a reminder of what must never happen again. The Anne Frank Huis Museum is the actual canal-side house where the Frank family hid during the war. Touring the museum allows you to visit the actual rooms where Anne and her family hid. The rest of the museum not only documents what happened to the Otto family, but provides a means to educate people around the world about racism and discrimination. Seeing our three children in front of Anne Frank's Huis reminds us of how lucky we are in Canada to live in a pluralistic society that not only tolerates, but encourages ethnic diversity. It is incredible to think that three quarters of all Jews in Amsterdam were killed during the Second World War.

Bulbs Everywhere

After the museum visit, we wander the canals until we find a place for lunch. We then walk through the main streets until we find a bookstore. After finding the first, we then visit several English bookstores looking for bird and aquatic references to the Mediterranean, along with one or two missing books from the children's schoolwork. After a long day of walking, museums, and shopping we happen upon Amsterdam's canal-side center of gardening. Karalee is excited to see the tremendous selection of bulbs on display and we help her along by finding a tiny cafe with a view to the flower vendors where we can sip a drink or eat an ice cream while Karalee gets to check things out.

We head home and decide to have pizza for dinner. We walk to a nearby takeout pizza, which we enjoy in the hotel room almost as if we are having a home cooked meal. We've eaten out every night for the last four nights and we are ready to eat in. As a bonus we have cable TV and many of the programs in the Netherlands are in English, so the children get to fill up on TV watching. They need to, as this will be one of their few chances before we return to Vancouver. After all, Dragonsinger won't have a television.