June 2, 2005
Sadness. This was my penultimate day in Amsterdam. I tried to take in more museums and Dutch life while I still could.
Outside the Museum Amstelkring, or Our Lord in the Attic. Having always been interested in religion (even though I am a non-practicing Catholic), I was really looking forward to coming here.
Cliffs Notes History Moment: In 1578 following the Protestant Alteratie (Changeover), Roman Catholicism fell out of favor in Amsterdam, and practitioners were forced to worship in secret. So, from 1661 to 1663, Jan Hartman, the owner of this canal house and a Catholic, converted the attic into a secret church, complete with an organ, priest's quarters and a confessional. It was eventually expanded into the attics of the two homes adjacent to the Hartman house.
The church is still in operation today.
Taken from the back of the church facing the altar.
Taken from the altar facing the church. The organ is visible above.
The Oude Kerk, or Old Church, built in 1260. It's a hard building to take a picture of.
You should know that this is very close to the Red Light District, so close in fact that there were ladies standing in the windows with the red lights just to the right of me when I took this. Yes, there were prostitutes RIGHT NEXT TO A CHURCH. I KNOW! (And no, I did not take a picture of them as it is illegal to take pictures of the women in the red light windows.)
Hundreds of people are buried at the Oude Kerk, and their gravestones make up the church floor. Many are unmarked save for a symbol or year of death. This is one of them. It moves me deeply.
The grave of Rembrandt's wife, Saskia van Uylenburg. A small standing light is posted at the foot of her grave, which is why it appears illuminated.
Photo Whiplash: Cockring, a gay club located not far from the Oude Kerk. I read about this in one of my travel guides and knew my trip would be incomplete without a photo of the establishment. No, I did not go in as it was closed.
The Rembrandt House Museum. It's terrific, and don't you just love his self-portrait? It's on magnets and postcards as well.
Just a few objects inside Rembrandt's home.
I'm afraid this photo doesn't convey how freaking steep Dutch staircases are. They're practically vertical! See the rope? That's your banister. Seriously.
Now, I love collections and antiques, and this display of old audio/video equipment at a flea market I came across while heading to my next destination caught my eye. How could it not? I love how all of the electronics are stacked just so, and I especially love how the green projector in the middle looks like it is smiling. It's Pixar-rific!
It is somewhat hard for me to explain why, but this picture holds a very special place in my heart. I was debating on whether or not to post it, being that it means so much to me, but in the end I thought it would be best to share it and not just keep it for myself. I hope you like it.
The Amsterdam Photography Museum, or Foam. As an aspiring photographer and avid fan of the artform, this was one of my must-see sites.
Note: Have you clicked on the link to the museum yet? No? Do so now and then come back here. How bummed am I to be missing out on the photo exhibit of pole dancers? SO BUMMED.
I did some rule-breaking and took this self-portait inside. Soon afterwards a security guard politely advised me that there was no photography allowed. In Foam. A PHOTOGRAPHY MUSEUM. I know why and all, but still, I thought that was pretty funny.
I was tired of walking (I was covering over ten miles a day, y'all) so I hopped on a boat for a canal tour of the city.
An artsy-looking houseboat that reminded me of Venice. California, not Italy.
One GORGEOUS houseboat. LOVE.
Another view of the Anne Frank House.

The Dutch equivalent of the front yard of a frat house.
That's Justin, Mike, me, Nara and Doei out on the town after dinner. I love this picture. Thank goodness we found someone on the street that could handle a camera.
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