Centraal Station

Ibis Hotel was right across the street from Centraal Station. Got checked in and allowed ourselves a 1 hour nap.

The Ibis Hotel

Looking out our hotel window

Went to Pat’s Pofferjes for a coffee and a snack - tiny round pancakes (almost like Danish aebleskivers but half the size.)

Pat’s Pofferjes

Stroop waffles

The French fries looked good!

Wandered through the very busy streets for a while and then sat down for a drink under a canopy while it rained for a bit.

Cheese shop with interesting varieties

A little more wandering led us to a restaurant where we took an early dinner. We had “typical Dutch” dishes - a type of beef meatball with mashed potatoes and gravy, and kroket with fries.

Got back to the hotel and went to bed early to try to catch up on our sleep.

We kept coming across really crooked houses.

Lunch

The Elizabeth - our home for the next week

Got to the boat for our 2:00 boarding. The captain and crew introduced themselves and we got on our way. For the first day we would be sailing to Monnickendam, about 5 hours on the water. Got to know some of our fellow passengers - all from Germany.

We had dinner after we got moored. Vietnamese - soft spring roll, a noodle dish, and a dessert made of mascarpone, granola, and a green powder of some sort.

Went for a walk through the town - a pretty little fishing village with lots of restaurants around the harbour.

Then on towards Purmerend where we had a light lunch.

In Edam they were having some kind of fall fair.

The ship was waiting for us in Volendam, a very cute, very touristy little harbour town.

When we got back to the boat we set sail for Hoorn.

Leaving Vollendam

Hoisting the sails lesson

The harbour in Hoorn

Dinner tonight was Caribbean fare. Chicken, couscous and snap peas followed by key lime mouse for dessert.

After dinner we strolled through the town.

A field of crocosmia

All the coffee shops were closed (because it was Monday) but we found a bakery off the beaten track. She made us a coffee, put our pastries on plates, and set us up with a makeshift table so we could enjoy it.

Dutch lawn mowers

Lunch by the sea

Sone kind of amusement park

When we got back to the boat in the afternoon we set sail across the Ijselmeer Sea toward the town of Urk.

Views of Enkhuizen as we pulled away

The afternoon’s activity was another lesson on hoisting the sails.

Urk

Dinner tonight was Mexican - pina coladas and fajitas. None of the Germans had ever had them before. They tried various ways to eat them - like a pizza, like a rolled up pancake - they watched how we did it but couldn’t seem to catch on.

After dinner I caught the sunset off the point.

Later we biked from Shockerhaven to Vollenhove. I felt like it wasn’t as scenic as the rides of the last couple of days, but interesting none the less.

About 10 kilometres in, we passed by the marker for a former harbour, now in the middle of fields that were at one time part of the sea. Dykes were built in the 1930’s to hold back the water.

The blue paint indicates the former water level.

We got into Vollenhove we’re we treated to a lovely dinner - amouse bouche of salmon mousse on a cracker, a tomato bisque soup, cod with mashed potatoes and carrots, and for dessert, chocolate mousse with preserved apples.

Pretty little town on the way

Look at that blue plant!!

It started to pour so we tried to wait it out with some other people under a tree

Eventually we had to give up though. We were dressed for it so it was okay. Lasted about an hour.

We cylindrical through the prettiest little town (Kalenberg) while it was raining. \240It was in the middle of a conservation area.

Didn’t expect to see a cruise ship here

Eventually we got to a coffee shop in Ossenzijl were we dried out and had a bite. Sat with another couple from the ship and ended up cycling with them the rest of the way.

When we got back to the ship it was time for dinner. \240The chef was paying tribute to his Italian ancestry. The appetizer was a tomato salad with red onions, peppers, watermelon and feta -a delicious if unusual combination. After that we had a filet of the fresh caught salmon on top of a delicious risotto made with champagne, zucchini and basil. Dessert was panda cotta infused with tonka bean and a blueberry sauce.

Giethoorn is another very pretty, very touristy little town. It has no streets for cars, only canals - “the Venice of the North”. We were taken on a boat tour.

The sun was setting as we finished the tour

Another little shower brought out a rainbow.

It was sunny, windy, and cold!

More hoisting of sails

Our Captain

Another sailboat

We were diverted from our original destination to a town called Medemblik. Nice little shopping area.

And a pretty harbour.

Waiting for dinner

The Captain’s dinner

A salad and then a “Grilled” dinner - Chicken, blue ling cod, sausage, potatoes, corn, asparagus, mushrooms, tomatoes, garlic bread.

We tried to take in a museum before the ship was to sail at 12:30 but ended up having to rush through it. When we got to the dock we found out that the ship was delayed and wouldn’t be arriving until 2:00.

Our fellow passengers

Explaining how sailing works

A kind of studio apartment that would serve the purpose for the 3 days we would be spending in the city. \240It was perfectly located for our needs - in the middle of a vibrant neighborhood with tons of shopping and restaurants.

Lunch spot around the corner

Michelle would be joining us later in the day. I had booked a canal cruise for the 3 of us that evening.

Lunch was in a little spot right across from the flea market.

And next to that was a museum of street art.

The canals get pretty crowded

After lunch we met up with Mike and wandered around a little until we were to go see the Anne Frank Museum.

Waiting outside the Anne Frank museum

The museum was extremely interesting. After a short video explaining the circumstances leading up to and during their stay in the secret annex, you took a tour through the actual rooms they hid in.

Anne Frank Museum

We selected a fondue place for dinner. Delicious!

The Albert Cuyp Market

The street next to us had a huge street market that ran every day. We spent an hour or two there every day

We had tickets to see the Van Gogh museum in the morning.

There was a Lego exhibit at the museum.

Next we wondered around the grounds of the Rijksmuseum

Afternoon break

Went for Indonesian food for dinner as it’s supposed to be such an integral part of Dutch cuisine. Didn’t realize though that we chose a place that served authentic Indonesian food (delicious) as opposed to the modified version (rice table) that is traditionally served in The Netherlands.

Morning coffees

This morning we were to leave our accommodations in Amsterdam and make our way to our countryside AirBnB in Leiden. Mike took transit to the airport to pick up a rental car and then endured a nightmare trying to find a parking spot close enough to pick us up with all our luggage.

It was only going to take 45 minutes to get to Leiden so we spent some extra time still in Amsterdam, enduring heavy rain, getting a hat Michelle wanted, and having lunch.

We were delighted with our place near Leiden. So comfy, cute, spacious and private.

Afternoon snack - local cheeses

Views from our windows

The canal beside our house. There were kayaks we intended to use as you could go around in a large loop on them through various small towns. Would have been lovely but we never got a chance. The weather was always uncooperative whenever it looked like we might have a couple of hours free for it.

Michelle was enchanted by our neighbours.

Mike cooking dinner

We started out at their Mollen (windmill) de Valk.

Inside the windmill

We learned quite a lot about the inner workings of windmills and the purposes they served. Quite interesting.

Views from atop the windmill

Pit stop for Michelle’s favorite beer

Dinner was back at home again, and afterward we went for a walk to catch some pictures of clouds, towns, and windmills.

The town hall in Gouda

The puppet show plays on the hour

The cheese!

Cute house

Streetscape

Art galley

Algae filled canal

Painting on a house

Access to houses across canals

And then on to Kinderdijk with its 19 working windmills

It looked like we would get rained on when we got there

Luckily the sun came out

Today’s outing would be to Haarlem

This courtyard had a plaque honouring the Canadian soldiers who liberated The Netherlands in 1945

Cute store display

We had lunch in a church that had been converted to a brewery.

On Saturdays they hold an antique market. Lots of Delft Blau

Famous Vermeer paintings!

Unbeknownst to us, today was the day of the military tattoo. Bands all over the city, and droves of people out to watch.

The West Gate