Amsterdam to Newark to Nashville (Day 14, The End)

 

I took a grand total of two pictures this day, both of our luggage, so I'm including some of my favorites from our trip in this post.

 

Our flight left Amsterdam at 9:15 a.m.  Not knowing how checking in my bike would go, we gave ourselves three and a half hours before our flight, so our Uber pickup was at 5:45.  The lovely Hampton Inn provides a takeaway breakfast, so we had a little bit of food with us. 

 

We decided to check our roller bags this time since we were checking my bike.  They were free, but we didn't know what the bike would cost.  Typically it's between $100 and $150 each way.  We were prepared for whatever.  We got our bags checked, then the airline employee said, "Checking a bike?"  "Yes."  "Okay, we just need to change it from 3 checked bags to 2, then add the bike."   "How much?"  "Oh, it's free, too!"  

 

 

In case you lost track, we got my bike box for FREE.  All the materials needed to pack my bike were FREE.  And now the bike was flying to America for FREE!!!  Enjoy the Ride, Liv!

 

 

We had plenty of time to relax and stretch our legs in the airport before it was time to board our flight.  I felt like the flight went pretty quickly for an eight hour flight.  We arrived in Newark, New Jersey, which meant going through customs.  The line for customs was very slow, it took us about 40 minutes.  Then we collected our luggage and prepared to check them to Nashville.  I was concerned about the time for this connection, but Newark airport does this right.  They have a separate bag check for international travelers, as oppose to going all the way back out to the main bag check.  This went quickly and we were back through security and at our gate in plenty of time.

 

We had about a two hour flight to Nashville.  Our bags made it safely and so did my bike!  I was very relieved.  Les' sister, Lisa, picked us up and after a little wrangling, everything was in the car and ready to go.  

 

In the more than six weeks since we got home from our trip, Les and I have talked so much about what a fantastic trip this was.  Definitely top three of all the trips we've ever taken!  I still can't believe how much fun a cycling vacation ended up being.  I was apprehensive, but it could not have gone better.  Being on bikes, traveling at our own pace, enjoying the ride was so much better than boarding buses with the masses and seeing what the tour guide wanted to show us.  We have already been talking about doing something like this again, we're even thinking about a land-based trip where they move your luggage for you.  All I know is this was my first cycling vacation but it won't be my last!  

 

 

The Anne Frank House And Another Godwink (Day 13, Part 3 of 3)

I knew we wanted to visit the Anne Frank house while we were in Amsterdam.   Tickets must be purchased online and they become available 6 weeks in advance.  I purchased our tickets and added Monday, June 1 at 5:45 p.m. to our itinerary.  We walked a little ways from the zoo, hopped on a tram, then walked some more until we arrived at the Anne Frank house.

 

We had a bit of a wait until our time was called.  The young lady who was going to scan our tickets saw a picture of Bo and Olive on my phone.  "Are they your grandchildren?"  "My sister's grandchildren."  "Oh, my great aunt is one of my favorite people!"  Then she scanned our tickets and said, "These were for yesterday."  My heart sunk.  "Let me see if we can get you in."  A quick call to her associate inside and we were cleared to go in.

 

Godwinks continue:  if I had put the correct day in our itinerary, we would have been at the Anne Frank House on Sunday evening instead of going out to dinner near our hotel.  We would have never found my bike box.  My mistake was used to our benefit.

 

We entered the lobby of the house and were given headsets for the audio tour.  No pictures or video are allowed to be taken while in the house.   If you don't know the story of Anne and her family, please go here and read:  Who Was Anne Frank?  

 

When we got home from our trip, I re-read Anne's diary.  I know I read it years ago, but after seeing the house and hearing more of the stories, I viewed her diary through a different lens.  We followed the tour, listening and looking in each room.  It's not a large house, just lots of levels with narrow stairways.

 

I started to a write a few key points, but then this just turned into a history lesson.  There is a complete timeline here.  You may be tempted to skip this, please don't.  These were real people who lived in a horrible time.

 

Anne and her sister, Margot were born in Germany to Jewish parents Otto and Edith.  Margot was born in 1926 and Anne in 1929.  When Hitler came into power in 1933 their father knew they could not stay there.  Their family relocated to Amsterdam.  In 1940 Germany invaded the Netherlands.  After just five days of fighting, the Netherlands surrendered and the occupation began.  

 

The Nazis kept introducing new anti-Jewish measures. Jews were more and more restricted in their everyday lives, they had to obey the Nazi rules and could not be in contact with other, non-Jewish Dutch people. They were effectively excluded from society.  Anne and Margot were forced to leave their school and friends to attend a Jewish only school.

 

Anne received a diary when she turned 13 on June 12, 1942. On July 6, 1942, the family went in to hiding. They were joined on July 13th by the Van Pels family (Hermann, Auguste, and their son, Peter) and on November 16th Fritz Pfeffer joined them. Of the eight people who lived in the Secret Annex, only Otto Frank survived. 

 

The house was originally Otto Frank's business, the layout was:

 

The Front House (Business & Offices)
Ground Floor: The warehouse, goods dispatch entrance, and spice mills.
First & Second Floors: Originally Otto Frank’s business offices and storerooms.
 

The Secret Annex (The Hideout)
First Floor of the Annex: The second floor of the total building, containing the Franks' bedroom and the bathroom.
Second Floor of the Annex: The third floor of the total building, featuring the Van Pels' bedroom (which served as the shared kitchen) and Peter van Pels' room.
The Attic: Used for storage and as a retreat during the day.
The Loft: A small top-level space where Anne went to look out at the chestnut tree. 

 

In the first two years of the war, Germany won almost everywhere. By late 1942, the tide was turning, and the Allies forced Germany back.  June 6, 1944, while they were still in hiding D-Day happened. 

 

On August 4, 1944 the Secret Annex was discovered and they were all arrested and put in prison. No one knows how they were discovered or who might have tipped the police off.  On September 3rd they were taken to Auschwitz.  On November 1st, Anne, Margot and Mrs. Van Pels were taken to Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.  January 27, 1945 Auschwitz was liberated and Otto Frank was set free.

 

In February 1945, Anne and Margot both died in Bergen-Belsen.  On May 5, 1945, Germany surrendered and the Netherlands was liberated.  On June 3rd, Otto returned to Amsterdam.  In July he met with two sisters who had also been in Begren-Belsen.  They told him about the miserable last months of his daughters and how they had died of typhus.

 

There were several people who helped those in the Secret Annex during their time of hiding.  One of them was Miep Gies. She had kept Anne’s diaries for her. Now that Anne was not coming back, she handed the diaries to Otto.   It took some time before Otto finally read Anne's diary, but once he started reading, he was gripped by her writing. ‘I had no idea of the depths of her thoughts and feelings.’

 

Anne wrote in her diary that when the war was over she wanted to become a famous author.  After Otto read it, he decided to honor that dream.  Anne's wish came true on June 25, 1947 when her book was published: Het Achterhuis. Dagboekbrieven (The Secret Annex. Diary letters from 14 June 1942 - 1 August 1944). 3,000 copies were printed for the first edition.

Anne Frank had written: ‘Just imagine how interesting it would be if I were to publish a romance of the "Secret Annexe," the title alone would be enough to make people think it was a detective story.’ 

The book was well-received in the Netherlands, and the first Dutch edition soon sold out. In December 1947, after only six months, the second edition was published.  It has now been translated to more than 75 languages and sold 30-35 million copies.

The diary became so famous that people from all over the world wanted to visit the Secret Annex.  In 1960 the house was turned in to a museum.  Over 1.2 million people now visit each year.

 

As I mentioned, I re-read Anne's diary when we got home.  As I read, I thought about her father and how he must have felt.  She was a teenager, with all the drama and angst, she had disagreements with her parents, but she also had hopes and dreams.  She wrote about the excitement of D-Day.  They were sure liberation was just around the corner.  Her last entry was August 1, 1944, just three days before they were discovered.  They had no idea and her diary doesn't even hint that this would be her last entry.

 

We left the house feeling so much I don't even know how to describe it.  We did eventually find hamburgers for dinner and one last waffle with ice cream before heading back to the Hampton Inn to pack.  Our trip was coming to an end!

 

Amsterdam Zoo (Day 13, Part 2 of 3)

 

We had plans to visit the Anne Frank house for our final evening in Amsterdam, but nothing for the afternoon.  We tossed around going to a Holocaust museum, but since we were going to the Anne Frank house we decided that might be a bit too heavy for the same day.  We decided to walk to the Amsterdam Zoo instead.  It was a beautiful Spring day and we enjoyed the zoo for a few hours. 

 

There was Lemur Land:

 

Lots of giraffes:

 

The elephants have a beautiful home, but most of them were hiding.  I was able to zoom in on this little guy:

 

A giant tortoise:

 

A wallaby:

 

The gorillas were the most active:

 

We were keeping an eye on the time because we had a specific entry time to the Anne Frank house.   We were going to get a snack, but all food options had closed.  We got these delightful ice creams bars:

 

 

Anne Frank House coming next... 

Amsterdam ~ Packing My Bike ~ More Godwinks (Day 13, Part 1 of 3)

 

 

Les and I both slept so good on Sunday night.  We were confident the bike box was going to work out great, we just didn't know how great!  But first we headed down to breakfast.  We were helped by other Hampton Inn employees, each of them were friendly and helpful.  We asked at the front desk if they had any packing tape or markers, they did and made them available to us.

 

Back in our room Les started pulling everything out of the bike box.  Whoever bought the bike that came in this box was meticulous.  Everything, and I mean, EVERYTHING we would need was in the box and still in perfect condition.  

 

Cardboard:

 

Bubble wrap:

 

 

Spacers: 

It wasn't just that everything we needed was there, but everything was completely intact - down to the bubble wrap that went around the handlebars, still taped in the shape of handlebars!

 

 

Nothing was ripped or torn!

 

 This took quite a bit of time, but we didn't need to buy a single thing!

 

 Sunday's stress was completely wiped away and Liv was ready to fly to America!

Amsterdam ~ Les Bought Me a Bike!!! ~ Godwinks (Day 12, Part 2 of 2)

Early in our trip Les said, "You have a decision to make.  To buy your bike or not."  Les had done some research while we were traveling.  He could find bikes like mine, but none in size XS.  The smalls were more expensive than what our rental company wanted for the one I was riding.  After riding more than 200 miles on the wonderful Liv Langma, I knew I wanted to take her home with me.  This is the best bike I have ever ridden.  The fit is perfect.  The fact that it is purple doesn't hurt either.  That was the easy part...

 

We met with the rental company representative and returned Les' bike.  We then said we wanted to buy the Liv and inquired about shipping costs.  "You just take it on the plane with you."  Les and I looked at each other...  "How?"  "People do this all the time.  Just go to a bike shop and ask for a box."

 

My excitement over getting my bike was starting to be overshadowed by the logistics of trying to get it home.  This was a Sunday afternoon and many bike shops were already closed.  Many more would also be closed the next day.  And we were scheduled to fly home on Tuesday.  We found one bike shop but they didn't have any empty boxes.  We asked at the front desk at the Hampton, they had a few ideas, but nothing that we could act upon that evening. 

 

We started tossing ideas around.  The Amsterdam airport sells bike boxes.  We could ride a train to the airport and bring the box back.  There was an office supply store nearby (closed on Sunday) but maybe they'd have something.

 

We decided we needed to get out of the hotel and find some dinner.  We found a wonderful Italian restaurant and enjoyed a meal, although we were both pretty quiet as our brains were still working overtime.  

 

When we decided to find some dessert there were two different options.  One was back the way we had walked from the hotel, the other took a different route.  We chose option number two and got some frozen yogurt.  While we were walking back Les said, "Keep your eye out for a box."  

 

We saw a pile of trash, but nothing.  A few minutes later Les said, "I think I see something!"  He dashed across the street and found this:

 

 

Canyon is a bike company that sells exclusively online.  What we didn't know at the time was Monday is trash pickup day in Amsterdam.  That box would only have been there that one night!

 

A "Godwink" is an event that seems like a coincidence but is actually viewed as a meaningful sign of divine intervention or an answered prayer. Coined by author SQuire Rushnell, the term suggests a little wink from above, assuring you that you are loved and never alone.  "By recognizing the “Godwinks” our Creator has placed in our paths, we can understand—and embrace—the journey God has laid out for us."

 

Les had never heard of Godwinks, but I had read one of the books a few years ago.  The more we talked about finding that box, the more I was convinced this was one of those times when God was guiding our steps, even in the most ordinary way.

 

People might think it was just luck, but Jesus said in Matthew 6:31-34, "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?  (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.  Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

 

While we had puzzled and thought, trying to figure out how we were going to get my bike home, God already had a plan for us:

 

1.  We needed a bike box

2.  We took an unknown route to dinner

3.  We took a different route from dinner

4.  We didn't know that Monday was trash pickup day. 

5.  And there was the box we had been stressing over!

 

This was just the beginning of Godwinks to get my bike home - wait until you read about our packing adventure! 

Amsterdam ~ Leaving de Holland (Day 12, Part 1 of 2)

 

We had one final breakfast with our friends on the boat, then it was time to start checking out.  I had reserved a room at a nearby Hampton Inn, we rode right past it the day before, so we knew we could get there very easily.  We rode over and tried to find their bike parking.  I finally went inside and asked.  This would be our first of many interactions with the staff here and each time was extremely pleasant!  

 

 

Naturally, the bike parking was underground and secure, next to the cars.

 

Once our bikes were secure, we walked back to the boat to get our luggage.  From there we took a tram back to the Hampton.  We were way too early to check in, so we left our luggage in storage and found a cafe nearby.  This was a cute place with a small playground next to it.  For the next hour or so we watched families ride in on their bikes, grab a coffee and let their children play.  We each had a sandwich, then split a piece of chocolate cake with our cappuccinos.

 

 

Our room was ready when we made it back to the hotel and we took a much needed nap!  I could finally breathe a huge sigh of relief.  We were done riding for the trip and we made it safely with no mechanical issues, flat tires, or crashes!  Total miles ridden for the total trip, including the ride in Brugge before we met the boat, was 226.75!  That was more miles than I had ridden for the year up to that point.

 

Our next order of business was to the meet the bike company to return our rental bikes... or did we?  Check back tomorrow... 

Breukelen to Amsterdam ~ Victory Dinner and Exploring Amsterdam (Day 11, Part 3 of 3)

After locking our bikes on the boat one final time we got cleaned up and headed back to the ferry.   We just started walking and looking for a place to eat.  Along with being crowded, Amsterdam was definitely dirtier than anywhere we had been.  The abundance of trash on the ground was actually kind of shocking after so many days in the countryside.

It didn't take us long to decide on pizza for dinner.  This was the right decision - it was delicious!

 

 

The pizza was not cut at all, we were a bit puzzled when we saw the scissors they provided!  But they did a great job.  They actually let you cut your slice as large or small as you want.

 

We wandered some more looking for dessert.  But first, a wooden shoe:

 

We found Milky Amsterdam and the young man standing out front did a great job selling us on what they had to offer!  Les got an espresso to pour over ice cream:

 

 

I got an iced coffee:

 

There was a great view of the river:

 

But what really brought us in was this crepe!  No guilt, just pleasure:

 

This was a chocolate crepe (pronounced "creep" in Amsterdam) topped with fruit and a white chocolate drizzle.  It was SO GOOD!!!

 

 

This is the face of a cyclists who rode from Belgium to the Netherlands without any crashes!  I was feeling quite victorious that night!  We wandered a little bit more before riding the ferry back to the boat for our last night on de Holland.