Ice skaters on Prinsengracht, Amsterdam
Ice skaters enjoying the late afternoon sun on Prinsengracht.
In the distance is the Westertoren — the most sung-about church tower in the Netherlands. In the diary of her life during the Second World War, Anne Frank wrote that she could hear the bells of the Westerkerk.
The house where she and her family hid during the occupation is just a stone’s throw away from the Westerkerk.
Ice Skating on Prinsengracht
It’s been freezing in Amsterdam — a lot. We haven’t seen this kind of weather in years. It’s been nearly a decade since people were able to skate the canals.
This is a view of Prinsengracht.
Amsterdam gable stone: Jesus and two disciples
This gable stone — depicting Jesus, after his resurrection, joining two confused disciples on the road to Emmaus — is found in a blind wall at the Begijnhof (Beguinage) — one of Amsterdam’s oldest courtyards.
Amsterdam Emblem
The three St. Andrew’s crosses in the coat (or emblem) of Amsterdam represent the city’s motto: Heldhaftig (Heroic), Vastberaden (Resolute), Barmhartig (Merciful).