Amsterdam.

NOW WITH PHOTOS!!!

The big day arrived, and we we were off to Sydney Kingsford Smith airport for our long flight to Amsterdam via Hong Kong. As is usual theses days, the flights were full, but the service on Cathay Pacific was good and we arrived in Hong Kong a bit early, around 9.30pm local time. We wandered around the airport a bit, than at midnight we were off to Amsterdam. It is incredible, as you follow the flight tracker, over China and northern Russia, and then down across the Scandinavian countries into Europe. We arrived in Amsterdam early, were quickly through immigration and found the friendly face of Jim Griffith to meet us.

Met up with Jim & Joan.

Iconic Holland.

Our friends Jim & Joan, live in Wilmslow, just outside Manchester UK, and when we told them of our cruise plans, decided to fly over to Amsterdam for a few days. They were booked into a lovely little apartment right on a lake, at Kinkeeven, just outside Amsterdam. They had hired a car, and the plan was to see some of the sights outside the city, leaving us a couple of days at the end, to explore Amsterdam city. We settled in on the deck, had a cuppa and caught up on family, then headed out into the Dutch countryside, in search of a lunch spot.

Canals everywhere.

More Boats than cars!

The first thing that strikes you as you drive along the narrow country roads, is just how green everything is, and how much water there is! Lakes, rivers, big & small canals, and even smaller channels. The homes are built right to the water's edge, and many of them are gorgeous! It appears that everyone owns a bicycle and a boat! Being so flat, Holland is the ideal place to own a bike, and with so much water, a boat is a must! Open canal boats are everywhere, and as we drive, we are constantly waiting for bridges to open or shut, to let the boats pass! We found our lunch spot in the small village of Abcoude, and dined on local fare, watching the activity on the canal across the street. The veal croquettes we delicious, served with mustard on a locally baked bread.

Bicycles and trams for transport.

Happy Hour.

By mid afternoon, we were getting a bit tired, having been on the go for more than 36 hours! Jim put our address into the car's sat nav, and off we headed for central Amsterdam. Well, the sat nav obviously hadn't been updated in a while, as we came into one way streets the wrong way, and at one stage it was directing us to turn right into a canal! The 30 minute journey took 90 minutes! In the end, we bailed out of the car in a no standing area, grabbed our cases, and trundled off up the road to our hotel. After a quick freshen up, we headed out into the maze of alleyways around the hotel, found a bar for a couple of drinks, and a burger bar for a light dinner. The burgers were great! They must be very popular in Amsterdam! So many burger bars! Then it was into bed early, to catch up.

At Marken by the sea.

Great spot for seafood lunch.

Next morning Jim & Joan picked us up across from the hotel. They had abandoned the car Sat Nav, and were using their own, which Jim had brought with him. It proved much more reliable! Today we were heading north of the city. It wasn't far, and within minutes we were into the countryside, passing dairy farms, and driving down gorgeous country lanes, following canals, and bike paths crowded with bikes! We were in search of morning coffee, and found some flags and a small sign outside a country home. We parked and opened the gate into a delightful garden in full bloom and with a few tables scattered under the trees. We were welcomed, established that only cash was accepted, and the lady brought us coffee and cake. Pretty soon, the garden was full. A local couple joined us, who were cycling to Haarlem for lunch, about 25 kms away, but they assured us it would be no problem on their electric bikes!

Gorgeous country towns.

Beautiful canal homes.

After an unexpected, but very scenic deviation through the Dutch countryside, we made our way to Marken. This small seaside village, does not allow cars, other than residents, so we parked and walked the short distance into town. It was simply beautiful. Traditional old homes, beautifully kept, and a bustling marina full of holiday makers. We found a great cafe right on the marina and tuckedinto the daily special, which was mussels and chips. It was just the best place for lunch, on a sunny warm afternoon, watching the boats come and go, drinking beer and wine.

Promenade at Volendam.

Just my size!!

After lunch, we drove a little further on, to Volendam by the sea. We walked the promenade, had an ice cream, stopped for a coffee, and from the shelter of our coffee shop, watched everyone scurrying for cover as a storm quickly passed by. The place was full of tourists, but we couldn't help but like Volendam. There are souvenir shops all along the promenade. My favourite is the fluffy slippers in bright colours that resemble clogs! As well, there are seafood shops selling the local salted herring delicacy! Still haven't summoned the courage to down a raw salted herring!!

Edam is for cheese!

Edam's main square.

Last stop for the day was our highlight, the small village of Edam, famous for its cheese. Did you know that the red skin we are so used to back home, is only for export! The local Edam has a yellow skin. The village is gorgeous, and we wandered the square, and the quaint streets full of shops selling cheese of course, but much more! The lawns and gardens that line the canals are beautifully kept, and those opening bridges really get a workout! It is a full time job for the guy who has to open the bridge, who seems to live in a house right at the bridge, and gets summoned by bell each time a boat wants to pass! We decided to stay for dinner, and found a popular spot near the canal, serving Italian food and delicious pizza. It did us just fine! Jim & I tried a local 10% beer, that was very good. It came in a wonky glass! Well, it looked wonky to me!

No tulips but still lots of flowers.

Lots of good food stops!

Next morning, we breakfasted back at the quaint little cafe just a few steps from our hotel. Called Vinnys, it advertised fresh home cooked food, and the day before it had delivered just that! So stick to a good thing! Great poached eggs and bacon with fresh herbs from the garden! After breakfast, we were collected again and today headed south, sticking to the narrow country roads following the lakes. We stopped for coffee and a snack at a small town right on the lake, then followed a lovely road along the canal to Breukelen, where we stopped and walked around the town. Some of the homes along the canal were breathtaking!

Lunch by the canal in Utrecht.

Traffic jam in Utrecht!

We made it to our main destination for the day, Utrecht. This is a bigger city of around 150,000, but the old part is centred along the canal and is a bustling scene of cafes, restaurants and bars, set on two levels all along the canal! The cathedral is incredible! It is huge, but in the 17th century, a tornado tore the centre of the church away, and it was never rebuilt, so now you enter through the tall spires, walk through into open space and head back into church! Most of the churches in Holland are Protestant, and don't share the opulence of the Catholic Churches we have visited in Europe. We found a Greek restaurant down on the canal level for dinner, and enjoyed our last dinner with Jim & Joan. We had so enjoyed their company and will be ever grateful that they took the time to meet us in Amsterdam and plan such a wonderful few days.

Main square in Haarlem for coffee.

Bikes of all shapes and sizes.

Friday, we were on our own. Jim had suggested we take the train out to nearby Haarlem, and we are glad we took his advice. The station was a short walk from our hotel, and the train trip west was just 20 minutes. Everything is so easy with the trains in Europe! We grabbed a map at Haarlem Station and wandered into town. The huge square was surrounded by churches, and a great cheer heralded a bride and groom arriving at one. We gravitated to Cafe Brinkmann, because it looked like the thing to do, with row after row of tables and chairs facing out into the square, in front of a huge old building. We ordered coffee and the "famous" apple tart with cream, which was delicious, and Carol ordered a drink called a "mintie", which turned out to be a glass of hot water filled with mint and honey. Looked like weeds in water to me, and we know about the Dutch and weed!!!! Anyway, she didn't seem any different after morning tea.

Canal in Haarlem.

Dogs are welcome in Holland.

We walked the alleys and lanes of Haarlem for hours. We found the canal, which was one of the least impressive we have found, and just continued to walk, admiring the quaint architecture, much of it centuries old. All the little plaques were in Dutch so we didn't understand a lot! We found a crowded little cafe in a lane called Metzo's, and enjoyed a traditional sandwich and a glass of wine, listening to the chatter of different languages. After lunch, we found a Providore's shop and walked the aisles, tasting cheese and the great local sausages. There was everything on display, fish, meat, fruit & veg, and of course cheese and the delicious caramel wafer biscuits! We found our way back to the station and back to Amsterdam Central.

Beautiful Dover Sole.

Croissant for brekkie.

All the fish we had seen at the Providore's had us craving fish, so we freshened up and headed out into Amsterdam. We had asked the hotel concierge for advice and he recommended "Lucius", and boy was it great. We sat next to a couple from Tocumwal! Carolyn had a crab cocktail followed by baby sole, and I had the local delicacy of smoked eel followed by the mixed grill of seafood, and it was all fabulous. We had a great night and waddled back to the hotel.

Anne Frank House.

Vincent van Gogh.

Saturday, we had booked some museums. First up was Anne Frank House, which was very moving. Hard to imagine two families hidden in a house for two years. The museum is well done. The persecution of the Jews by the Nazis is incomprehensible to me. After that we walked around the Museum District for a while, waiting for our allotted entry time to the Van Gogh Museum. This was also excellent. So many paintings produced in such a short life! We finished off the afternoon with a few drinks by the canal, and an evening canal cruise, where we sat with two sisters from Iowa. They were great company, and seeing Amsterdam at night was a good way to finish our stay here. The city is packed with tourists, and staying right in the central part of town, we have enjoyed all the buzz and excitement.