Star Forts and Red Lights

Sat Oct 5

Sam:

This morning we went to a place called Naarden which is a town on an island that is a 5-pointed star fort. You have to park away from the island because there are only a few bridges to get on and off and not much parking inside the city.

We went in through the grand entrance, which is the biggest entrance to the town, and when we walked in, the first thing we noticed was the giant fountain in front of us.

There was also a farmers’ market right next to the big wall so we decided to go there and see what food they had. We bought some nougat – a type of candy made with almonds.

After, Grandma wanted to look around the city by boat because there were canals throughout the city, so she went on a boat tour. While she was gone, we kept walking around to see what we could see from land. We found a park in the city centre that we decided to play at for a few minutes, and then we went on one of the points of the star where we met Grandma when she got off the boat.

The battlements were very well protected since it was an arrowhead shape, so it could just deflect most projectiles. The point was a very defensive area because there was a divot in the centre for infantry to be stationed, a wall behind it so they can’t attack the city and so the cannons could fire at them, and a tunnel leading to the city for more troops to come in through.

After walking on the edge, we went back to the city to get some ice cream.

We also tried to go to a nearby castle, but it was going to close soon, so we decided not to go in.

When we got home, Mom and Dad went on a date and Grandma, Charlotte, and I had supper at our home.

Jenn:

Brad and I went downtown to experience Amsterdam at night. We started out at a little restaurant called Poco Loco in the Nieuwmarkt area. We shared some local beer and nachos in the heated outdoor seating area.

Next we strolled along the canals enjoying the lights and people-watching.

Our next stop was another little restaurant where we enjoyed delicious cheese fondue. We seemed to be a great advertisement for the restaurant, as many people walking by stopped to gaze at our yummy food and then decided to come and sit down to eat. I tried a local radler but was not a fan.

Well fed, we continued on to the red light district. It was so crowded with tourists! We saw all the neon lights and offerings on display in windows. There were a few “coffeeshops” (shops where you can buy marijuana legally) along the bordering streets and lots of restaurants and bakeries selling very expensive and very decadent pastries, presumably to those who had worked up a big appetite and who had money to spare! There were also “space cakes,” baked treats with a cannabis kick and funny shops with specialty items, like a whole store filled with rubber ducks. Photos aren’t allowed in most parts of this area for obvious reasons.