Amsterdam and the Canals

Invigorated by a hearty breakfast and the crisp morning air, we departed for our Canal and City Tour.  There were several buses but we were designated the 'affectionate Red Group.'  Another guest said it had to do with the champagne reception last night???   I'm afraid we are already the notorious Texas group on the ship, but we are definitely having fun.

Although I had done the canal tour several years ago, there were scenes I didn't remember.  I had definitely not forgotten the Nemo Technology Museum.  I think you can figure out the reasoning behind the name.  A short distance later we entered the canals which were built centuries earlier to reclaim the swampy land from the sea.  There are 4 major canals connecting with numerous smaller ones.

The inner canal , the Singel was originally the city's boundary.  By the 1600's during the Golden Age, the city expanded to the Herengracht which held the widest homes with elaborate gables.  Most are much too large to be homes in this expensive part of the city and have been converted to offices.  The Kelsersgracht contained more middle-class homes but still lovely while the last main canal, the Prinsengracht held smaller homes and warehouses.  Again, the homes and their gables were much easier to see in the winter.

Since today was Sunday, there was very little bicycle traffic, but we passed numerous bicycle parking lots and this new building is actually a bicycle parking garage that holds 15,000 bikes!

When the canal ride ended, we boarded the Red Bus, and headed out of the city toward Utrecht where the AmaCello was waiting to  meet us.  The hour and a half drive took us through beautiful Dutch countryside.  I can't believe they are having a drought as green as the grass was in the fields.

We stopped for a photo op at one of the inhabited water windmills.  The purpose of these is to prevent flooding of the lowlands during heavy rains as opposed to the industrial mills that grind grain.

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Awaiting us as we boarded the ship were steaming glasses of  Gluhwein (hot mulled red wine) which I grew to love on previous Christmas Markets Cruises.  It tasted delicious, as usual.  Soon we were devouring another tasty meal and watching the countryside pass by. The photo is of Gayle, sipping her Gluhwein and watching the boats going down the canal.

We are on the Amsterdam Rhine Canal which was built to connect the port city of Amsterdam to the main shipping channel of the Rhine.  Cruising southeasterly from Utrecht, we will intersect the Lek branch of the Rhine at Wijk bij Duurstede and then continue on to Cologne, Germany, where we will dock in the morning.

This  view of one of the locks is from the forward lounge on the ship. It was a treat to have a leisurely afternoon watching life on the river pass by us.  About 5 this afternoon we'll gather in the lounge to decorate Christmas trees, sip more Gluhwein and hear about the origin of many Christmas traditions in this region.
 

More from Germany tomorrow.
Linda