Ahoy there! Kim and I decided to make use of our new Rotterdam Passes last Thursday and go to the Maritiem (Navy) Museum. I should probably explain what the Rotterdampas is. It's a card that allows to do all sorts of cool things in Rotterdam for either free, or with a discount. Normally it's 60 euros, but since we're students we got them for only 12,50! We found the Maritiem Museum without too much trouble (on our bikes of course). Although actually getting there proved slightly more challenging because there happened to be a canal in the way... and the way around the canal was under construction. But we got there eventually.
I am definitely envious of Europe's history. In Canada we mostly learn about the natives, and the fur trade, and then natives, and the fur trade, and just in case we weren't thoroughly sick of learning that yet, we get to learn them again in high school. Oh, and with a few weeks of the world wars thrown in for good measure in grade 11. Just when it starts to get slightly interesting we graduate.
But anyways, it was super cool to be able to learn about Dutch navy history in Holland!
We saw some rather scary-looking old fashioned rifles. I think I would be just as scared to shoot one of those as to be shot at by one. They don't look very reliable and I'd be worried it would blow up in my face if I pulled the trigger.
For my brother Jared's benefit: an old army dirt bike.
And Kim and I found a phone in the museum... which happened to strongly resemble mine (minus the duck tape). They were even both Nokia! But it texts and calls so I'm happy, even if people do sometimes laugh a little when I take it out of my pocket.
On one of the floors of the museum there were guys in camo setting up some sort of new exhibit. Finally I got up the courage to ask them what they were doing and if they were real soldiers. Turns out they're the real deal- soldiers in the Royal Dutch Navy. I talked to them for a while in a mixture of Dutch and English. Turns out they were put in charge of doing a special exhibit for Rotterdam Museum Night, a night when all the museums in the city have special things to see and do. One of the soldiers told me I should come because there would be ten young soldiers there who would love to show a Canadian girl around Rotterdam after museum night (which ended at 2:00 AM). An interesting offer perhaps, but I think I'll wisely stick with my friends from church. That's a bit safer than gallivanting off with soldiers.
I did get a picture with him though. (I've always liked uniforms).
So that was the Maritiem Museum! It made for a lovely way to spend part of an afternoon. For the next hour afterwards we looked at several little stores because we found an area of town with dozens of little shops. I found the cutest dress in one of the stores and I'm thinking about buying it because it would make a really cute costume for a camp I'm going to next month. Kim and I did a little photo shoot too, but I'm not going to post the pictures because if I get that dress it has to be a surprise at the camp!
After shopping we found two by the road and just sit and relaxed for a while. The sun was shining and it was warm. It felt so good to just sit and enjoy the sunshine and watch people walking and biking everywhere along the road. So yes, it was a very good day indeed!
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