Baltic Trip - Amsterdam      2nd - 3rd May:

2nd May

Passing by Schipol Runway

    We left Rotterdam in the morning and weaved our way through the waterway systems. It was a bit of a start-stop affair. Road bridges would be opened when we turned up give or take 5 minutes or so. Rail bridges were a different matter, trains ran to strict timetables and so bridges opened to similar timetables too. Indeed, at Gouda, we had a 2 hour wait. Large barges also passed through the canal, some carrying up to 45 containers. We clung to the coat-tails of one for quite a while, since road bridges seemed to open magically for them. At times the canal was so narrow that these large barges dwarfed the houses on either side of the canal. For almost all the route the surrounding countryside was lower than the canal water level.
    The countryside was lush, speckled with clusters of Frisian cattle and sheep. Herons, terns, mallards and grebes made the canal their home and hunting ground. At times plush houses graced the banks, whilst other areas were covered with market gardens.
    Passing past the end of a Schipol runway provided us with advance warning that we were approaching the outskirts of Amsterdam. A hefty wait at a motorway bridge also reminded us that we were nearing the capital.
    Crossing Amsterdam in a boat with a mast is not a simple process. The bridges on the route through the city are closed during the day, since it would cause chaos if they were to open. To get around this problem, the bridges were only opened once for a very short period during the night. We and other vessels had to wait in a holding area for hours, and after a false start at a rail bridge, nine boats set off in convoy to cross the city at 1am. A pair of guys sped along the streets on motorbikes opening and closing the bridges as we progressed slowly. It was indeed a slow affair, with all craft being forced to mill around in one small area for about 30 minutes. A little light relief was provided by a police boat which zipped along our route; it's low height permitting it to whiz under bridges without hindrance. The streets were deserted as we sauntered on our merry way. After almost 2 hours, we reached an area just before the final bridge before the harbour area, and we all tied up for the night.

Amsterdam Harbour

3rd May
    We caught the 9am bridge opening and headed across the harbour to the Sixhaven marina. The marina was large and almost full, but we managed to grab a space. Other crews we met there were very friendly, and seasoned visitors to this marina told us how boats were crammed in during the high season, to such an extent that it could often take hours to remove a boat from the deep interior. Later in the morning we took one of the many free ferries across the harbour and after a hasty sandwich lunch, decided to investigate the Maritime Museum together. It was a pleasant walk in the warm sunshine amongst the many tourists and folk going about their daily business. To add an extra zing to the journey, cyclists, buses, trams and cars shot by from all directions, just to keep us on our toes. At length we arrived at the Maritime Museum to find it was closed until October, hmmm..... After monumental curses we decided to explore the city based on our own interests. Alan decided to head back to the boat for a kip before exploring the Science Museum. Rex went off to investigate the diamond business.

Bridge Near the Hermitage

Another Amsterdam Bridge

    I set off to the Hermitage, where I spent a few hours perusing an exhibition on Russian Orthodox Church art. The full spectrum was covered from the Byzantine period up through the changes brought about by Peter the Great. His travels abroad and quest for learning consequently lead to a shift in styles of the icons, also known as "windows to heaven".

Rembrandt House

Anne Frank Statue

    It seemed quite appropriate that I should have an early immersion in such art before reaching St Petersburg. One exhibit that did tickle me was a bell. Apparently bells were revered during the 15th century, and were even baptised. What dumbfounded me more was the fact that some bells could create sin, and were accordingly punished depending upon the severity of the sin. The blurb made no mention of what sins had been committed. One particular bell had had its "ear" and "tongue" (clapper) removed and sent to Siberia. Crumbs!

Second Hand Clothes Stall

    After the exhibition, I meandered along streets, just observing life, and even managed to explore an open-air market. Here, all manner of goods were for sale, including one stall comprising rows of disorganised secondhand clothes and shoes just laid out on the floor.
    I passed through Dam Square and slowly made my way across to Anne Frank's House. Sadly, the queue to get into the museum wrapped itself across a road and round a block, and I calculated that at the rate the queue was diminishing, the museum would be closed long before I got to the head of the queue.
    I retired to a canal side cafe and sipped coffee in the sunshine, just people watching. Time moved on, and it was soon time for me to head back to Dam Square where we had all agreed to meet up at 7pm. There, we shared experiences: Alan had found the Science Museum to be mainly for kids, Rex had found the Diamond Centre 30% interesting and 70% hard sell.

Snoozing Swan

    We retired for a couple of beers at a bar before enjoying a scrumptious meal in a brasserie. Suitably replete we returned back to the boat in the chilly air and had a good night's sleep.