Red Lights and Red Bikes: Amsterdam

Amsterdam: known for it's legal marijuana and prostitutes. But it is so much more than. The city is full of history, life, and great energy.  The sheer beauty of the canals and parks is enough to make someone love the city. Then add in the Van Gogh museum, the Anne Frank house, and the ability to bike through beautiful parks and you've got yourself one great place.
Aside from the cold, we made the most of our few days there. Our hostel, Cocomama, was incredibly homey and near the center of town. Our first night we went to a concert in an old church which was really neat. The lights coming through the stained glass windows were mezmorizing.

We rented bikes, biked through the city, through Vondel Park, to the Van Gogh museum, to the iamsterdam sign, and then straight to the smell of crepes and hot chocolate. We were able to fit in the Anne Frank house the next morning before our way to the airport (it was a short trip because of classes). Although we had to fit many things into a very small amount of time, we got so much more out of the city than we all expected.