After lecture this morning, Greta and I decided to go to the Anne Frank House museum. When we got there, however, the line to get in stretched around the block, and we didn’t know if we’d have time to wait and go through before our group dinner tonight. We were both feeling a bit hungry, so we asked a man working in a nearby souvenir shop where we could find some good frites (Dutch-style fries). He gave us some convoluted directions to a shop several blocks away and assured us that all of the locals got frites there. He promised they would be “the best frites you’ve had in your life.” Greta had to buy a map so we’d have one detailed enough to guide us to the narrow alley where the frites shop was. I’d have to say the souvenir shop man made a convincing case: The frites were fabulous. Also, I think I’ve developed an addiction to curry catsup.
Once our appetite for frites was sated, we walked to Begijnhof, a home for single Catholic women who didn’t want to take the vows to become nuns. The women worshipped in a small, hidden church in the courtyard in the middle of the houses. Begijnhof houses are still reserved for women. Apparently we still needed some churching, because then we went to Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder, or “Our Lord in the Attic” church, and Sint Nicolaaskerk (St. Nicholas’ church). According to Lonely Planet, the church was built in 1661 during the Calvinist era. At the time, it was illegal for Catholics to openly attend a Catholic church, so a wealthy businessman built a chapel in the upper stories of his home. Amsterdam officials turned a blind eye to Catholic worship as long as their church didn’t look like one. Sint Nicolaaskerk most definitely looked like a church, though. I’ll have to look up a little more history to see why it was OK. It was nice to sit quietly inside the chapel before going to our first group dinner as a class.
Greta and I waited at Koffiehuis van den Voksbond for about half an hour because someone *cough*Trent*cough* led the rest of the class horribly astray from Centraal Station. It was actually kind of nice to have a chance to enjoy the funky decor before the rest of the group got there. Supposedly the coffee house (no, not that kind) began as a charitable eating place for dockworkers. It has an ever-changing menu of really good food (some people said amazing, but I wouldn’t go that far). I started my meal with a smoked mackerel, grapefruit and avocado salad that was a perfect balance of smoky, salty and tart flavors. It was the best course of the meal. My main course, asparagus risotto, was nearly perfect, but the rice was just a touch too crunchy. Other than that, everything was cooked perfectly, and the flavor was fantastic. I finished up the meal with cardamom creme brulee, which could have been wonderful. I’ve had too many good creme brulees, though, to be impressed by something that was a little too runny and wasn’t topped with properly caramelized sugar. It was OK, I’ll give it that. Overall, though, I was pretty satisfied with the day.
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