30 September 2015 - Hop On - Hop Off Canal Tour of Amsterdam

Today was the perfect day for our canal tour of Amsterdam.  Anneke and Sandra van der Schaaf had kindly given us" their "two for one" vouchers for some tourist attractions in Amsterdam which we saved for a boat tour with Ali. 

Heading off on our boat!

 Karl wasn't keen on  a touristy type of tour but the rest of us were keen so cycled into town and locked our bikes on "our" bridge and walked to the Hop On Hop Off  boat stop.   The tour provided earphones and commentary about the sights we were  passing.  As it happened, the gas man was coming to check something in our house, so it was probably good that Karl stayed home to translate if needed!  He is loving putting his Dutch to good use!

Ticket!

Just under a low bridge

Listening to the audio

Cool!

Traffic jam in the canals

Love the scenery

Blue skies, beautiful buildings

 First stop - Anne Frank's house where the queues were long - but we hopped off there to find a spot for lunch in the sun before boarding the next boat.

Lunch spot by a canal

South Church

Relaxed!

Amsterdam has 250 bridges whereas Venice has 400!

My girl!!

Interesting architecture

On the Ij

Near Central Station

Bike park - you'd have to really remember where you parked your bike!

Wind clock at the station: showing North, East, South and West

Riding a dog - Central Station

Next stop: Central Station - where we also hopped off, took the ferry to North Amsterdam, bought some olie bollen, hopped back on the ferry and waited for our next Hop on Hop off boat.  We were in the right place at the right time to receive some Starbucks samples of frappaccinos!  Delicious!

Starbucks free sample!

Heading back to the canals from the Ij

The boat crossed the Ij passing the Eye Museum and NEMO and round about and back onto the canals.  It was very lovely just chugginf along.  I particularly liked peering inside some of the houseboats and checking out the inside of the boats!

Houseboats

Many of Amsterdam's buildings are on odd angles:  some because of the foundations being built in the marshes some centuries ago are now rotting and others were purposely built leaning a bit forward for the ease of transferring items through upper windows.  Many of the buildings have hooks to help lift furniture and we have seen a few removals/deliveries in progress.

Lovely little crooked cafe

On the Amstel

The Blue Bridge over the Amstel

 The Intercontinental Hotel is for the rich and famous after a physio who had the foresight to "treat the problems of the wealthy" established a health spa there.  We cycle past it most days when we ride into Amsterdam and it does look rather posh!

The Intercontinental Hotel

 Once we had done the whole circuit and were back near the Rijksmuseum we decided to get off the boat and make use of the facilities at the Rijksmuseum.  Tim and Luke played on the "Iamsterdam" sign whilst Ali and I sat in the Rijksmuseum gardens sipping coffee and Annika sat with us, whilst we watched kids played "dare" with the fountain there.

If your name starts with "A"!

"Dam" it if it doesn't!

And where is the taxi?  On the ffing of course!!

Nearly home on the Binnenweg

Unfortunately we hit the peak hour traffic again and the masses of bikes were on the bike tracks again but we made it home safely.

29 September 2015 - Girls' day out in Amsterdam

Another clear and crisp autumn morning in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel, perfect for a morning cycle to the shops, which we did!

I really wanted some girls' time with Ali.  Ali, Annika and I decided to cycle into the city and park our bikes and walk around the little streets and along the canals and window shop, eat, drink and chat.  A very girls' day of activity.  With the many choices of things to do in Amsterdam, Karl and Luke cycled off to NEMO, the science museum and Tim went to EYE, the film museum.

Bridge over Amstel

Top of the bridge stop

Bike park bridge

Annika, Ali and I parked our bikes securely and started our search for a cafe for lunch.  We didn't want commercial or touristy or noisy or crowded....and finally settled for the Ellis Gourmet Burger cafe where, after a few table changes, we found a great table in the sun.  The waiter said that it was the last week with the furniture on the terrace as I suppose the weather is  turning cold, but today was perfect.  We had a pitcher of crushed strawberry and lime lemonade to accompany our burgers which finally arrived.  It was lovely sitting and chatting in the sun and watching the world go by.

Sisters!

Selfie sisters

So Amsterdam

Finally settled at the "right" table Ellis Gourmet Burgers.

Strawberry and lime lemonade.

Tiny squashed little building

Another little house which seemed squashed between two tall buildings

Shuttered windows

De Witte Tanden Winkel

Kaaskamer

 After we'd had our fill we explored the cute little streets and discerned "coffee shop" from "coffee shop".  Ones with names such as "Black is a Happy Colour" or "Best Friends" and "special cookies and lollipops" were clearly not the coffee shops we were looking for.  Having said that, the general wafting of smoke out of said cafes was a telltale sign on its own.  It is confronting for someone as conservative as me to dwell on the legalisation and free use of cannabis but each to their own!

The George for coffee

We did, however, find a lovely coffee shop, "The George" down a side street on a canal where we sat outside and watched the canal traffic and had a coffee.

Dinner tonight

More dinner scenes

As we were heading home in the peak hour traffic it was all a bit hair raising riding in the midst of  the throng of cyclists but we made it safely.  It is both thrilling and daunting being in the cycling mass.

Tim was home when we got back and Karl and Luke came home just in time for dinner.  An enjoyable day for all!

28 September 2015 - Olie Bollen, a ferry ride and the Maritime Museum

As it was Ali's first morning here, I thought it was fitting to take her to our local shops by the canal, on the bikes, which we did.  Very pleasant morning, indeed.

Outside Plus Ouderkerk aan de Amstel

After packing our picnic lunch we all cycled towards Amsterdam.  Luke proudly rode his bike to the conclusion of the bike only path and locked his bike up there. From this point, the bike path becomes a lane on a road lined with cars. Much as he would have loved to cycle through the streets of the old part of town, it is just too dangerous with vehicles stopping and turning without warning.

Stopped at a rising bridge

Bridge closing side ways

We were keen to take the free ferry to North Amsterdam from near Central Station and joined the throng of other cyclists to cross the water.  Just over the other side we spotted a van selling Olie Bollen!  These doughnutty balls rolled in icing sugar are traditionally eaten at New Year along with appelflapper (apple fritters).  We sat on the banks of the river until the local grass cutter came whipper-snippering (had held grass cutter) his way through our picnic spot.  We cycled on and found a great spot by a lock and watched a big cargo ship and several smaller recreational craft go through the lock.  It was lots bigger than the locks we'd seen in Banbury on the canal.

On the ferry....

 We enjoyed our picnic there until the same whipper-snippering guy turned up and disturbed our peace again!  Luke was keen to go to the Scheepvaart (Maritime) Museum so Tim, Annika and Ali rode home whilst Luke, Karl and I stayed on at the museum.

Oliebollen

Picnic spot

 The highlight of this museum was definitely the big replica VOC (Dutch East India Company) sailing ship which is floating on the water in the dock.  We had a bit of fun in the hammocks and checking out the cabins and hull and firing the canons, too!

Lock opening

Boats going through

The Amsterdam at the Scheepvaart Museum

 The whole west wing of the museum is dedicated to children and like all other museums we have seen in Holland, had engaging interactive exhibits.  I quite liked carrying around the computerised bucket and playing the game about sea voyages.  The exhibition on the golden era of the Dutch East India Company was interesting as was the map which showed what parts of Holland were reclaimed when.  The saying: God created the world but the Dutch made Holland" made me laugh!  Why they reclaimed the land remains a mystery!

Boats through the canal

Maritime Museum

The Amsterdam

In the hull

Pointing a canon

Looking up to the rigging

We cycled down the now familiar paths back to Luke's bike and then home.  It is great to feel at home and familiar with our local surrounds so quickly!


Annika cooked dinner whilst Luke did a late session of school.  Another still and pretty evening over the Amstel!