The week in Norderney, correction, the freezing week in Norderney. I
never knew that going to the beach could be so cold. I bought a jacket, a
beanie and searched high and low a non-existing pair of gloves. Believe it or not,
this prevailing cold was still not enough to keep us from getting ice cream
every chance we got. The week on Norderney was one that I truly enjoyed. It was
nice to be in a place that had a slower pace and a more relaxed feel to it. The
island itself is somewhere that I found to be fun and different, it is relatively small so we were able to bike everywhere, which eventually led to the Tour de Wasser that took us around the Island, but first lets talk about the main reason we went to Norderney in the first place.
Being able to visit the Badahouse in Norderney was a huge
treat. I would have spent the entire day at that spa if I was able to. The
different saltwater pools were all really great to try out but my favorite was
the high salinity pool. Once you got in you would just float because there was
so much salt in the water, and the room was dark with green lights projected
onto the ceiling. It was so relaxing and quiet that I would have been perfectly
happy just floating there for hours. But the really fun part of the excursion
was the mudbath and saunas. Strip down, rub on some mud and then sit in a hot,
steamy room for 20 minutes? Sure! Why not, sounds like a good time; and it was.
Honestly the only thing that I would critique is that the mud could use a few
drops of lavender or some other essential oil to help it smell less like mud,
but even that wasn’t much a deal breaker. After the mud bath we all headed down
to the saunas. In total I was able to sauna 3 times. Each time in the sauna
that was 85 degrees and the longest I was able to last up to was 12 minutes.
Saunaing is something that I haven’t ever really done but I enjoyed the whole
experience. It took a little bit to get used to but once I got over the feeling
of it being awkward it was nice. No amount of listening to Becky G could
prepare me for how much I truly broke a sweat. It was unreal if I’m being
honest. In true sauna fashion we went straight from the steam and into the
freezing water of the dipping pool and then off to the recliners to relax. The
relaxation was one of the best things that I have ever experienced. We sat in
those recliners just blissfully floating away until it was time to leave. So
the sauna house 10/10 would recommend and do again.
The other experiences we had on Norderney were also some
that deserve some recognition. The biking trip that almost killed me, the mud flats and the memories from the beach. The Tour de Wasser was the easy bike ride around the island that ended out being the biggest workout of the trip. Even
so it was still nice to ride around the island and get to see what makes it
such a special place. Which leads us to the walk on the mud flats. It was
honestly a mixture of fun, interesting and painful. I liked getting to hear
about the different aspects of the mudflat that made it such a unique place and
getting to learn about everything that lived there, but I did not enjoy the
shells. Afterwards there were definitely some cuts on the bottom of my feet but
none of them were anything serious or deep.
Overall Norderney was an amazing place that I enjoyed very
much and I wish that I could spend more time there. I will always cherish the memories of nights at the beach with a great group of friends. All of us marveling at where we were in the world and how lucky we were to be there. There was a lot of laugher, some late night swimming, and some fun walks through the sand back home. Norderney was a place I will never forget, and a place that I will cherish the memories from forever
After Norderney it was on to Amsterdam. A truly wild city. I
know that there are many thoughts that are associated with Amsterdam with its
coffeeshops and red light district. It is looked at as the city of freedom and
I would have to agree with that. It was an interesting and new place that I am
glad I had the chance to go to, thought there were definitely some aspects that
I could have done without- such as the constant smell of marijuana that
blankets the city and the fact that I almost got killed by a wild biker on an
hourly basis. Other than that it is a city with character that I would
recommend anyone to go to at least once. For me, the best part of the trip was having
the opportunity to visit the Anne Frank house. We somehow snagged tickets for
it the night before and were able to go. I remember reading Anne Franks diary
when I was in middle school; I remember reading it and not being able to
imagine what that kind of life would have been like. Now I can imagine it, now
I can see it because I have been there. I have walked through the halls of the
shop, up to the secret door that was hidden behind a bookcase and into the
space where eight Jewish people lived in hiding and in constant fear for their
lives. I saw the small space where they lived for two years but were ultimately
discovered and, for all but one, sent away to their deaths. It was an
experience that made everything much more real. In class today Dr. Wasser said
there is something different when you learn about these kind of events in the
place where they actually took place, that is absolutely what I felt when I was
in Anne Frank’s house. It is one thing to read her story, but it is completely
different to see where that story took place. I was moved to tears at the story
of Anne and her family as I walked through. These kinds of experiences are ones
that I believe are important. They are from a part of the past that should
always be remembered. I was able to go through the house at my own pace, to not
talk to anyone and just experience a piece of history that was as painful as it
was powerful.
After the Anne Frank house we went to the Van Gogh Museum. I
was a little disappointed to learn that most of Van Gogh’s famous paintings
were nor actually housed there; but it was still a place that was worth
visiting.
We ended the day with a river cruise that included Pizza and wine, some more museum exploring and then into an underground club full of odd techno music.
Amsterdam was a place full
of surprises, interesting museums and new adventures.
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