Dear Commons Community,
Elaine and I took a canal cruise in Amsterdam today. It was a good way to get more of a feel for the city with its 165 canals and 1700 bridges. The cruise passed several interesting sights but what was most impressive was the guide describing Amsterdam’s history and development as one of the major commercial centers of Europe. Originally a small fishing village in the 12th century, Amsterdam became a major world port during the Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century, when the Netherlands was an economic powerhouse. Amsterdam was the leading center for finance and trade, as well as a hub of secular art production. In the 19th and 20th centuries, the city expanded and new neighborhoods were built. Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands on May 10th, 1940 and took control of the country. Some Amsterdam citizens sheltered Jews, thereby exposing themselves and their families to a high risk of being imprisoned or sent to concentration camps. Anne Frank was sheltered in an attic in a house that was no more than 100 yards from where our cruise boat disembarked.
Enjoyable afternoon.
Tony
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