Our third and last day in Amsterdam was quite relaxing. We had two things planned: the Pancake Bakery and climbing the tower of Westerkerk, a church near the Anne Frank House. The morning was beautiful, but still cold. On our way for pancakes the views were stunning.
The pancakes were so good I forgot to take a photo so my apologies. The restaurant is located in the basement of an old canal house. According to our guide book it’s the best place to have pancakes. Not sure if this is accurate since these were the only ones I ate so I can’t compare them to others. However, they were tasty!
I snapped this photo the day before while on the canal cruise
In the entrance
The next stop was the church. Unfortunately the church was closed due to Easter. However, the tower was open and I had heard the views of Amsterdam were stunning from the top of Westerkerk. We made an appointment and then wandered around some until it was our turn. Hendrick de Keyser, the Dutch architect, who designed this church, died one year after construction began. The purpose of the church was to serve the wealthy bourgeoisie who lived in the Canal Ring. Hendrick’s son, Pieter and Cornelis Dancker completed the church in 1631.
Westerkerk Church
Anne Frank used to listen to the church bells while she and her family were in hiding. The Nazis ended up melting the bells down. The climb to the top wasn’t too difficult, however if you don’t like heights, enclosed spaces, and ladders I don’t recommend this.
This part of the climb wasn’t too bad. At times you are climbing up and down ladders.
If you can manage it, the views are fantastic. We wanted to climb the tower on Saturday, but it was booked. Turned out to be a good thing. The weather on Saturday was grey and overcast. On Monday it was superb.
The window Anne Frank used to stand at to listen to the bells.
The rest of the afternoon was spent relaxing and enjoying a couple of drinks before we had to catch our train for the airport.
When my best friend visited us in London last year she purchased this lighter. However she left it behind and now we’ve been taking it wherever we go and snap photos for her. The bartender was kind enough to place it on this shelf behind the bar.
I sampled Jenever, Dutch Gin. It’s pretty good!
We arrived in London at sunset.
50 Year Project 
This was a great post!! I felt like I was vacationing with you, and boy we had fun didn’t we? 🙂 I was quite struck by the picture of Anne Frank’s window because it is so small and isolated just like she was. I also enjoyed the photo of the curving staircase in the church tower because it reminded me of the one that we climbed in a church across from Cambridge University. I think it was called Great Saint Mary’s. I have fairly big feet, and the stairs were so narrow that I kind of had to turn my feet sideways to go up the stairs, and good luck if you met people coming down because there wasn’t room to pass anyone :). I also wish that we had had a chance to visit The Pancake Bakery when we were there – I loveeeeee pancakes!!
I have to admit while I stood and looked at her window I teared up. It wasn’t until I saw her home and the surroundings did I really understand how difficult that would have been. Obviously I won’t understand completely, but it did add more insight into their plight.
I also have big feet and had to turn the opposite way in order to climb down, which made it tricky since I’m also an idiot and kept taking a misstep. The better half held onto me the entire way. Here they only let one group in at a time since the ladders won’t allow people coming and going.
I’ll add Great Saint Mary’s to my growing list. The list in my head. I don’t actually write things down.
Yay!! Another thing we have in common – big feet LOL! I was also very, very moved by the Anne Frank house. I will never forget that experience. As for Great Saint Mary’s, you really should check it out. Cambridge is such a wonderful little town, and I was in total awe of the university. It would be like going to school in a castle! The view from the top of Great Saint Mary’s is really amazing, and don’t forget to try punting on the Cam :).
We spent an afternoon in Cambridge but didn’t have a lot of time. Maybe you should start compiling a list of things to do that all the bloggers suggest. You have the spare time right. With work, Mike, the kids, reading, editing, your blog, taking photos, cleaning, and all that jazz. I’m sure you can squeeze this in. Seriously, how do you keep up with it all? I’m tired just compiling the list.
Oh yes, I have tons of spare time HAHAHAHAHAHA!! Actually, the lists are what help me keep my sanity :).
Wait a minute!! What am I talking about? I’m not sane LOL.
Hmmm, I don’t think I’ll touch that one.
LOL 🙂
The lighter adds character to your lovely trip 😀
It’s fun to think of new ways to take photos of it.
Amazing, I can’t wait to get there myself!! Love the shots!
It’s a wonderful place. No matter where you look, it’s picturesque.
All I have seen of Amsterdam is the airport where we ended up having to spend a night—-we watched the rats racing around and I kept my feet up. Your pictures are so much better and are replacing my memories of Amsterdam …thank you from the bottom of my heart. The view of Anne Frank’s window was quite a reminder of how small her world had to have been during that time.
Your airport experience sounds like a nightmare. Funny now, but how awful then!
There was no where to get comfortable and they kept moving us out of areas and nothing was open to eat and we were starving and waaaaaaaaaa! :-0 We survived but I still have that recording in my head of “you are nearing the end of the moving walkway—please be advised”……….
I probably shouldn’t admit this, but those walkways scare me when I have to get off. I can never get my timing right and look like an idiot.
I know what you mean!
So I’m not alone! Everyone else makes it look so easy.
I think it is one of those things you just have to enter confidently and act like you know what you are doing…then it is easier!
I’ll try that. Confident stride as I fall flat on my face.
Wonderful post, I’m going to Amsterdam tomorrow, so your post is great help. 🙂
Oh I’m so jealous. Have fun!
Now if you had climbed up to the tower 50 times it would have been good training towards Kinabalu!
I thought about that. and then I considered climbing the stairs in St. Paul’s every day for a week but I didn’t want to keep paying the entrance fee.
Always go up- that’s my motto! I have extremely worn out legs to show for it. 🙂
I do my best! And my knee hates it, but it’s still functioning.
Regarding those stairs: Heckuva climb!
It was. Not as bad as St. Paul’s in London or Notre Dame in Paris, but still not easy. I was glad to arrive safe and sound at the bottom
Awesome! I miss Amsterdam.
Lots of sweets there!
You’re right the views from the top are awesome. Pretty nice shots you got there, but my favorite is the gnome shot with the lighter. Nice!
I love the gnome. the bartender was such a good sport!
Wow. Such beautiful photos you have there! I envy you. I wish I could go to some major travelling this year, too.
I hope you can. For me, any trip is fun, even if it’s in my own neighborhood. There’s always a way to explore and have fun.
Thank You for this lovely post. When we visited Anne Frank’s house, I bought the French version of Anne’s diary.
Thanks Sartenada. I was pleased to see that they had the book in many different languages. People should learn about her.
We went to the top of Westerkerk also. Oh those stairs – the ones that you needed to hold onto the rope to climb? Umm… I actually had to go down backward. But good practice for your mountain climb! 🙂
We never made it to the Pancake Bakery, instead we went to the Upstairs Pancake House. It was a little hole in the wall place with about 4 tables and plastic flowers. OF course I went for the sweet (apples) instead of savory. So delicious!
I had to go down backwards as well. And I was holding onto that rope at the top. I went for the pancakes with nutella. I’m a chocolate nut.
That does look like an tight space. So glad your climb was rewarded by a beautiful sky overhead. Now you’ve got me wanting pancakes!
The pancakes were great!
Most views are worth the climb don’t you find TBM and your pictures show why … Amsterdam is a great city .
Yes I agree. I always do my best to make the climb
What a climb! Nice shots of the city and it looks like it was well worth the trek!
I’m glad I did it