It's crazy how much we're managing to cram into this program! Amsterdam was a blast - it's impossible to get bored or tired in that city because everyone there is so full of energy and always eager to welcome visitors. The highlight for me was definitely the van Gogh museum. I'd been wanting to see the Starry Night since about the 4th grade, so finally getting to do so was very rewarding. It was good to also be able to see so many of van Gogh's other works in one place so that you can really appreciate those paintings as well as the main attraction. Of course, seeing the Night Watch was also incredible and I'm really glad the Rijksmuseum has it on display despite all the renovations.
Although all weekends must come to an end, this time it was ok because Hannover is great. We haven't had much time to really see the city yet but we got to go to the state stud facility and the town of Celle yesterday. In the afternoon we drove to the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp memorial center and walked around the grounds and museum there. That was pretty intense. I've been to the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles and that place is pretty hardcore but, of course, it's nothing next to actually BEING there. What's weird is that the whole area is absolutely beautiful. It's green and full of trees and bright flowers and yesterday happened to be a particularly gorgeous day with warmth and sunshine. I couldn't quite decide if the setting made me feel sad (indignant, maybe?) that a place that had seen such atrocities would appear so serene and peaceful nowadays when it should be solemn instead or if it made me feel comforted by considering the abundance of regrowth and beauty as a tribute or token of healing, as if nature laid down a whole forest for all the people who died there in the same way a person would put a flower on a loved one's grave. I'm very grateful we had the opportunity to go there.
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