Day 1

Today our journey began very early at 4am. We all anxiously waited for everyone to arrive, and once everyone was there we were able to go through check in. At precisely 6am we boarded the plane.

When we arrived we collected our luggage and took a quick coach ride to our hotel. We dropped off our luggage, checked in and began our adventure.

We ate our lunch outside of the hotel in the sunshine. After that we walked to take a tram to get us closer to the city centre. We soon arrived at our destination.

The first place we visited was the Hollandsche Schouwburg. Before the war this building was a theatre, and once war broke out it was decided that only Jewish performers could work here, and they could only play to Jewish audiences.

As the war went on this building was used to house Jewish people before they were deported and sent to concentration camps. Roughly 46000 Jewish people stayed in this building before being deported. Many people did manage to escape with the help of some very brave people.

After that we went to the park and played some games on a huge stage, which was very fun. We took loads of pictures, and we even had a dance competition. Miss Berrett even showed us some moves that Lisa Tobias would have been proud of!

We then went to the Holocaust Memorial Museum. On the way there we met a Scottish man who had a very cute French Bulldog in a basket on his bike.

When we got to the museum we had the opportunity to read some stories about children and their most prized possessions during the Holocaust. It was really moving.

We then found out all about how the children would be smuggled over a wall from a nursery which was used as a place for children belonging to the adults in the Hollandsche Schouwburg to stay before also being deported. The people who worked here saved hundreds of children’s lives.

After a long day we had a final walk then got the tram ride back to the hotel where we went to our rooms and chilled and chatted all about our amazing first day in Amsterdam. We can’t wait for tomorrow.

By Milla, Atika, Emmen and Amy