Johann Cruijff

Johann Cruijff football legend was born on 25 April 1947 in Betondorp (Concrete Town)- a neighbourhood Located in south east Amsterdam on a street five minutes away from the old Ajax’s stadium, his first football club.

Johan lived at De Akkerstraat 32 in Amsterdam in a part of town called Betondorp, Betondorp is social housing experiment build after the First World War using cheap materials and simple design for the working class. Nowadays its praised for its innovative approach and clean functional design making it a modernist landmark.

Betondorp was a fantastic place to play football. On the streets, before these public spaces were cluttered with cars and traffic, Johan spent as much time out of the house as possible;  playing football everywhere he could.

Here where the road passes underneath the houses Johan used to kick the ball from side to side.

 Wal painted where the former Ajax stadium: De Meer was located and which borders Betondorp, where Johan Cruijff grew up.

 Cruijff often said: “Playing football is very simple, but playing simple football is the hardest.”

Cruiff in Betondorp

Chet Baker

Friday 13 May 1988 Amsterdam

That morning at 3:10 am Chet Bakker, the famous jazz trumpet player , singer, was found dead, laying on the street under his window on the second floor of his room 210 at hotel Prins Hendrik at the Prins Hendrikkade in Amsterdam. Baker was 59 years of age he was in Amsterdam as part of a multi-appearance tour of the Netherlands. 

Chet regularly preformed at the Amsterdam cafe "De Kroeg" ( nowadays called "Malou Melo") took part in jam sessions and stayed the night above the cafe.

Chet was not only known for his incredible trumpet virtuosity and tender voice but also as a timeless style icon.

Chet Baker playing in Amsterdam

                                           
                                             Hotel Prins Hendrik Amsterdam

                                   

                                      Chet Baker room 210

Room 210 Chet Baker 

John Lennon and Yoko ono 'Bed-In' Amsterdam

John Lennon and Yoko ono 'Bed-In' Amsterdam

On March 25 John Lennon and Yoko Ono spent their week-long honeymoon, (after their Gibraltar wedding on march 20 1969,) in bed at room 702 of the Amsterdam Hilton hotel. This was the first of their "bed-in" protests against the Vietnam war, here they invited the world's press into their hotel room every day between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

 later that year at May 26 they did their second ‘bed in’ protest at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel in Montreal Canada.

The price for the Jhon and yoko suite for one night is a round €1000,- depending on the day and seasons.

Anne Frank before going into hiding.

Anne Frank and her family lived in the apartment at Merwedeplein 37 II from December 1933 to July 1942. It was here that Anne Frank first wrote in her diary, which she was given for her thirteenth birthday on 12 June 1942

Anne Frank and Sanne Ledermann on the Merwedeplein 

Anne (right) with friends on the Merwedeplein

Brass bricks known as Stolperstein, or "stumbling stones," in front of the Frank's home in Amsterdam.

The 6th Montessori School Anne Frank, is the school where Anne Frank, between 1934 and 1941, spent her elementary/primary school years.

The Joods Lyceum school at the Voormalige Stadstimmertuin 1.

Anne frank study there from 1941 to 1942

After the summer of 1941, Margot and Anne are required to attend the Jewish High School. The Occupier forbids Jewish students from going to the same schools as non-Jewish children.

Jacqueline Van Maarsen (Called "Jopie" in Anne's published diary) had just finished her first day at the segregated Jewish school and was biking home.It was September 1941. Anti-Semitism had yet to reach its peak in the Netherlands."A new school only meant new friends.”she was riding her bike along the Amsteldijk in Amsterdam.Jacqueline!” a voice called from behindVan Maarsen turned around. A skinny girl with voluminous black hair was pedaling wildly to catch up to her.“Are you going that way also? the girl asked, pointing to the Berlage Bridge.Van Maarsen nodded.“Then the two of us will ride home together from now on. I live on Merwedeplein square,” the girl said , assertively.“My name is Anne,” the girl added. “Anne Frank.

Anne Frank House at Merwedeplein amsterdam, watch the film here

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