Back home again

Monday, May 7

Uber right on time to airport. Fly from Amsterdam to Houston and there we go through customs and catch flight to Denver. Polly picks us up at the bus stop.

We have learned while we were in Europe that Steve's Uncle Charlie has passed away and so he will be back at the airport tomorrow to fly to St. Louis!

Last day in Amsterdam

Sunday, May 6

It's Sunday so it's time to find a church. Not far from us is De Krijtberg Church. The 11am mass is in Latin with Gregorian chant. The church is pretty and the chanting is nice. A woman behind us coughs through the entire mass however.

Time to find some lunch. I am hoping for a Dutch pancake but the place I had looked up doesn't have any seating. So we end up at a French cafe. Lots of good looking food but I order a grilled ham and cheese sandwich with a salad that is just so-so. Steve has an omelet that looks pretty good. And the hot chocolate is to die for.

Last chance to explore the city so we start at the Flower Market. Lots of bulbs and lots of trinkets. But you can't take any of the bulbs into the US so we do a lot of looking but not buying. Then we discover the Rembrandtplein, and the Dam. It has ended up being a very warm and sunny day. We are tired of walking so decide to take a canal cruise to see the city from a different vantage point and also sit down. It's warm but a good way to end our stay in Amsterdam. We see the harbor and some of the canals and see some of the old architecture.

Back to the apartment to get ready to leave tomorrow. We pretty much pack up and Uber has been contacted. Time for dinner. We head to a Thai restaurant on that busy street that we saw last night. The food is good and fulfills my desire for Thai food. After dinner it's time for a walk to the crazy Red Light District. Then home to bed so we can get up early to leave for the airport.

Tulip time

Saturday, May 5

A day at Keukenhof. Weather is beautiful. We head to the Rijksmuseum where we pick up some sandwiches and also catch the tram to the airport. There is a long line of people getting on the Keukenhof express bus but we arrive around 12:30. The place is gorgeous. Easy to lose yourself in fields of color. We eat our sandwiches on a bench and keep exploring. There are pavilions with special displays that we barely saw. Eventually we run into our Indian friends. It's good to catch up. Finally it is time to head back. Easily done. We get back to town at 6:30. A very full day. This has truly been a highlight of the trip. So glad we found out about this jewel of the Netherlands!

Time for dinner. We hit one of the Argentinean steak houses a short walk from our place. There are quite a few restaurants on the street with lots of people eating outdoors. We have a liter of house red, some garlic bread, ribs, and a ribeye steak, along with some grilled veggies. It is all pretty tasty and a nice change of pace. After dinner we turn the corner and walk down a street that has even more restaurants, and is filled with people eating and spilling out onto the street. 

Amsterdam

Friday, May 4

Our bags are out of the room by 8am. We have a last leisurely breakfast. Our Minneapolis friends' plane was canceled. We wonder when they got home.

The Viking people have our cab all arranged and loaded up. Soon we are at our new home on Prisengracht Canal. It is charming and our hosts are very nice. We settle in, then hit the road. We walk thru the Albert Culp market. A big flea market basically. We find a place to eat. Steve has fish and chips and I have a chicken and avocado sandwich. It's all pretty good, esp. with a bier!

Time for the Rijksmuseum. We have our tickets already and so it is easy to get in. On to the Rembrandts and the Vermeers. There is much to see and I have to cruise thru the other floors. After a couple hours we are tired and have a coffee and coke in the cafe.

We walk home via the grocery store and then rest before tackling dinner. We do get in to an Indonesian restaurant. It's delicious. We don't get the rice table but instead get these enormous sampler plates. During dinner at 8pm the entire restaurant has two minutes of silence in honor of those who died in the war. We take the long way home, enjoying the crowded streets and nice weather. We are pooped when we get in. Time for a bath and bed.

The Netherlands

Thursday, May 3

Since we are just sailing we get to sleep in and enjoy a late breakfast. Sharon gives a lecture on Dutch water management and also Dutch painting. I'm a little under the weather so am glad for this low key day.

After lunch we still have some cruising to do. Time to do a little packing. Finally we get to Kindersdijk, which is a windmill field, with UNESCO designation. The day is beautiful. Very unusual weather. We have an excellent guide who explains how the windmills work, how the families lived in them, and their role in controlling the water in the Netherlands. It was fascinating.

When we get back on the ship it is time for the captain's final reception and then the farewell dinner. We sit with the dairy folk from Minneapolis and the Indian folk. They are very fun. Dinner is chateaubriand, along with a gouda cheese soup and shrimp appetizer. We say aloha to ask our new crew friends and hand out tips. They've been the highlight.

Time to finish packing and get ready to be off the ship tomorrow.

Cologne

Wednesday, May 2

We arrive in Cologne at 8am. After another delicious breakfast of French toast and blueberry pancakes, we go on our walking tour. Our guide Claudia is fabulous. She knows all about the city and all about the cathedral. We get into the church early so it is not too crowded. The church is huge but not nearly as impressive in the first glimpse as Strasbourg. We finish the tour with our guide, ending by asking her about the modern view of Nazi Germany. We visit the much simpler St. Mark's church before going back to the ship for lunch and a rest.

Lunch is with the rv couple from Illinois.

After lunch we head back to the church and spend quite a bit of time there. Steve especially likes the stations of the cross but can't find the last two!

Time for a kolsch at a bierstube. We have five of the .2 liter beers. They are cold, fresh, and delicious. Cost is a little under 10 euro.

Leisurely walk back and soon it's time for dinner. We end up at a table with two crazy couples from Iowa. We drink our last bottle of wine that we bought in Basel. It's not much better. Steve has a steak and I have ahi. Good but strange choice for Germany!

After dinner we walk around to see the church lit up at night. Its a mild evening and the walk is lovely. The ship pulls out at 12:30 and while we are pulling out the illuminated church is visible from our balcony. A nice way to say goodbye to Germany.

Cruising the Rhine to Koblenz

Tuesday, May 1

We have a relaxed morning as we get to sleep in because the boat doesn't sail until 9am. Breakfast is leisurely and I order some french toast with bacon while waiting for Steve.

Today is all about seeing the middle Rhine with its castles and quaint towns. Unfortunately it is cold and windy on the deck but some of us brave it. The ship is great by providing blankets and spiked hot chocolate. The views are lovely. Exactly what one expects. We pull into Koblenz at noon just in time for lunch.

Afternoon is a bus and walking tour of Marksburg castle. Terrain is rough and it is hard to tell what period we are supposed to be looking at, but interesting nonetheless. At the top are lovely views of the river valley.

We get back with enough time to walk Koblenz a little. There is an interesting history memorial, a huge statute at the confluence of the Mosel and the Rhine, and we finally come onto a lovely church and a quick organ concert.

Tonight is the German buffet. Heidi and Klaus are our waiters. Food is plentiful, all accompanied by German accordion music. We eat with a couple from Phoenix.