Got up this AM without a temperature thank god. Was worried bc I got a second booster on Friday and had a temp all day yesterday.
Getting ready! Way too much stuff! I know I won’t use half of the clothes but 10 day forecast shows 50-53 degrees. Brrr!
Got a pair of sneakers, comfy jeans, and a puffer jacket from Amazon! Thanks to the Prime membership, I can get stuff within 2 days.
WooHoo! Everything fits.
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Finished packing. Too too much stuff! Woke up early and discovered that I hadn’t closed the fridge door so it was 68 degrees inside!ugh!! Threw out most of the food.
Called Dr Merino (9:01) \240again after calling an leaving messages since Thursday. Complained to Gabby and she put an Urgent to the Dr. Still waiting (11:49am)
Ann and driver picked me up. On our way! Woohooo! \240British Air business class to Heathrow, then smallerl plane to Amsterdam.
Arrived early without any \240problems. The only problem we had was having to wait almost 2hrs to get boarding passes bc they were having personnel issues. Ann and I met up with Karen and her daughter, Kristen. Pic is from lounge.
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Arrived exhausted. Hardly slept in the business class seat which turns into very hard bed. Filet of beef was well done.. Staff was great and very helpful with bags and such. Wheelchair is a must in Heathrow. Wall to wall people. We were so glad we had the service. To get through security is a pain though! Had to take out small pocket sanitizers, \240toothpaste and things that would go through MIA without a hitch, especially old ladies with global entry passes. Pic below is of the up lift to get into the plane.
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Breakfast at the Pulitzer. Then off to the street to find a boat ride on the canal.
Cold and light rain! Ugh!!
Found one @16e. In front of Anne Frank huis.
Ann and I in front of the Anne \240Frank house door to the 3 story house. Didn’t go in bc stairs are very steep and narrow.
Ate lunch at the the Anne Frank bistro next door to the famous house. Walked about a mile, bought cute onset for Cole and a top for myself at Almost Summer. Exhausted got an Uber back to hotel with help of terrific Frenchman - owner of Gallette also condo in North Miami. Great conversation.
Short rest. Then off to dinner for seafood at Lucius by taxi. Oysters on half shell. Delicious salmon-poached with hollandaise and well presented.
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Friday. Up at 3:20 then 4:09. Listened to Squeeze Me, Hiasson’s hilarious book. Couldn’t sleep first night onboard. Finally gave up and got up at 6:10.
Shower very refreshing. Breakfast buffet. Departed at 8:30 AM. Took pictures on the way out and video going through first of 16 lockes on the itinerary from inside restaurant..
Video going through locke
First tour -Hoorn. Slow walkers. Ann, Karen \240and I had the guide all to ourselves. Not very informative. Ann bought some chatchkies. Mainly fishing town. Some buildings from the 15th century. Daffodils on hillside where we docked. Old sailing vessels. Quaint town.
Dinner.
Terrific duo!
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Actually this is April 7. Missed it bc we were busy getting ready to leave the Pulitzer and board the AmaMora, our cruise ship.
Ate breakfast here and had bellman store our luggage. Played canasta \240while we waited for taxi. Met Karen and Kristen all four of us left together.
Arrived at port and boarded the AmaMora. Wow! A spectacular vesssel. Beautifully appointed. Staff very attentive. Lush stateroom.
Mus
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Saturday
8:45. Temperature very cold \24048 degrees sunny
Ate a good breakfast - eggs Benedict fruit and cafe macchiato with double espresso
Boarded bus for Middleburg tour - about 1 1/2 hrs over farmland - beautiful countryside all below sea level - dams - windmills
Cost 9 billion gilded. Built in 1986
Middleburg - second most important town for VOC - East Indian Company
Reformation - drove out Catholics
Zeeland /Middleburg was last to surrender to xGermmans during WW II
Linden Trees
Names on houses replace with nimbers by Napoleon
Roosevelt - university named after his family name -they’re from Zeeland
1835 people plus one - father saw mother who was pregnant floating away. 1787 actual number killed - some were double counted to get 1835
Lobster season April - July 28 fishermen catch 60K lobsters
Language: Dutch ui=ow
Huis = house
Uit= out
Neck, back, shoulder massage @ 3:15
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Docked in Brussels
On our way by bus to Ghent and Bruges. Very wealthy cities in mideval times bc of trade in their harbors.
3 regions Flanders, Brussels, Vwalonia
Castle
Castle
many languages German, French, Dutch.
Central parliament. Appointed PM.
Ghent - university town
Castle in Ghent 14th C
Total bier
After a delightful waffle with strawberries and cream, macchiato, and Belgian chocolates, we’re headed to Bruges by bus. Fredrico,, our AMA tour coordinator, said he’s ordered a taxi so we don’t have to take the entire tour in Bruges.
Bruges got its name from the Vikings in the 9thC. Flemish. NW near North Sea
UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE
Flanders. French influence but after Maaximillian ended he was imprisoned in the top floor.
Leopold II restored city after 300 yrs of French, German occupation.
Maximillian imprisoned in bldg with small towers
Belfry 13thC.
Belfry.
Verdi Tea Room
Brussels - stop at the Atomium - built for World’s Fair 1935
Major traffic jam. Drivers are crazy!
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Antwerp
The Cathedral of Our Lady \2401352 started
Rubens in the cathedral - Ascent to the Cross 1608 \240Studied in Italy oil on wood
Burial crypts - confessional
Napoleon and the Calvinists destroyed and stole paintings
Last of 4 Rubens paintings
Mary pregnant proud upper class
Afternoon Tour
Chocolate, Beer, and Waffles
Brussels - warm or liege waffle - small and can be eaten cold
After dinner a chocolate buffet
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Rotterdam approx 750k
Another gorgeous day sunny 48then 58
1940 surrendered to Nazis bombing
Was \240rebuilt with modern architecture - modern city
See windows upside down and fibulae building next to it
No school buses children ride bikes -flat topography
Bus to Delft
Milk cows - gouda cheese
Stopped for hot chocolate: to die for!
The chocolate chunk is dunked into bottom of cup, milk added
At the Choco in the Delft square for some hot chocolate
Delft
Factory
Imitation of Ming porcelain frrom China
1930 factory - 1700’s
Proud Mary
Painter in cobalt oxide first
Used to use uranium until they were prohibitd by government
Logos
Gas kilns - 2wks process
Bought vase for Lisa and 3 pill boxes
Bridge in Rotterdam “the Swan” - built in 1950
Windmills
15 of 19 Occupied. Have to be a Miller to reside in one.
Mr Robert. Visiting the windmill.
This is hobby now. Most millers work in other places. Millers now rent the windmills.
Built in 1740
Dress up evening - champagne
Fredrico
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Amsterdam - overcast 57*
Keukenhof Gardens. (Coken …).
Court’s \240Kitchen
Early start ahead of crowds 8:00
Back story:
Arranged marriage between Yan and \240Yakoba
He died
She remarried to Duke.Yan
Left him \240- met and married Humphey of England, who left her bc she couldn’t reclaim her land from Yan
She was put in dungeon
She escaped with help of Frank. Returned to Belgium. Treaty gave her land and her title of countess. Her kitchen and gardens.
A Scotsman developed gardens. \240 After WWII \240started selling tulips and developed industry. 100 farmers. 1950. Now 7 million.
Tulips are Turkish- not Dutch 15th C king smuggled bulbs out of Turkey
76 acres of tulips - 7 million. Bulbs
Keukenhof - industry started when Lisse mayor had idea to commercialize tulips at Keukenhof
Lisse, NL McDonalds
COVID test.
Canal Cruise
Houses built on pine tree pilings
61 miles of canal in Amsterdam
Crooked houses because pilings are deteriorating
C
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Headed home. AMA has a van transporting us to Amsterdam airport. \240
Too early!! 10:00 flight to London.
Chilly but not unbearable.
Flight to London 40min late on takeoff, but pilot made up some time.
London Heathrow airport security is a nightmare. Lines even for wheelchairs is ridiculous! \240Getting through is another nightmare: take off shoes, even eye drops have to be packaged in ziplocks!
Business lounge is also crowded. Spring break for some and Easter holiday. \240Getting nervous deposited in lounge for a 2:15 departure, but no wheelchairs at 1:45. Yikes! \240At 2:00, one wheelchair came and took \240us both down a level to the cart. Then under the airport through tunnels and doors for about 3 miles. Plane almost 2hrs late for departure.
Horrible design in business class again.
Landed 7:19pm, which is 2:19am Amsterdam time!
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