This morning, Grant and I slept in. But that is okay, because Amsterdam happens to be a city that likes to sleep in. When we got up, we went out to the street market that is a block south of where we are staying. Gary had checked it out earlier. The market was very crowded by the time we had arrived - it was like a swap meet but only along one street - Albert Cuyp (also the name of the market.) It had food, clothes, accessories, shoes, dvds, you name it! I had a yogurt smoothie, and Grant had fresh squeezed orange juice and we shared French fries - with mayo of course! Also, Grant decided to try a raw herring sandwich - he took one bite and decided that it was exactly how you would imagine it - which was not good at all (he had thought there must be something to it - they seemed so popular....) As for me, I just tried to not throw up from the smell of the thing!
We went to the grocery store and then brought our purchases back to out houseboat and met up with Gary. We took the trolley to central station and then went to the Nemo (Science Museum.) They have a terraced roof that you can hang out on, with a snack bar.
After that, we did a self-guided walking tour of Amsterdam. We started by walking up Dam street to Dam square. After that we turned down a super-crowded, pedestrian only walk way lined with stored and restaurants. The very beginning was super crowded - this was caused by two women in nothing but underwear and body paint handing out orange balloons in honor of tonight's football match - Holland versus Russia.
(Ok, I know, and I know you know, how crazy Europe is about football (soccer.) I mean, I've experienced it before - in a world cup no less! - so I get how insane it all is. But knowing it, even experiencing it once or twice, well, you don't realize what it is like until you are actually in it. And you forget how all consuming - and crazy it is! Last night, Holland didn't even play, and people were driving by well past midnight honking their horns at the bar across the street! And today, with Holland actually playing? Forget it! The streets were packed today, and at least half of the people you saw were wearing orange. When JK Rowling writes about the craziness of the Quiddich matches, it is because of the hysteria you see here with soccer. In fact - I knew in my head that it was orange every where because Holland was playing soccer, but in my head I kept thinking it was the Chuddley Cannons getting ready for a Quiddich match, with everyone decked out in orange shirts, hats, feather boas, etc. I know. I am a nerd.)
Anyway, the other thing I noticed at various times (whether we were by a "coffee shop" or not, was that you could occasionally get the distinct smell of pot wafting off of people. Not often, but every once in a while.
Back to our walk. Halfway down the pedestrian walk, there was a "hidden church." There are actually many hidden Catholic churches which date back to when the Protestants were in charge and would not allow Catholics to practice. It is so odd - there was a modern store, a tiny church and another modern store.
A little farther down, we entered the Begijnhof. This was a secluded courtyard where Catholic lay women who did not want to be nuns but lived extremely pious lives lived. Throughout the centuries it has been a haven for religious women. In this area, there is a 500 year old wooden house - rare because most of these were burned down before city builders began using brick - another hidden Catholic church, which is opposite (like, maybe 10 yards across from) a protestant church where the Pilgrims were allowed to worship while waiting to sail on the Mayflower to America.
After this, we walked through a museum courtyard ant continued down the rest of the pedestrian walkway, and along a canal lined with flower stalls known as the flower market. Among the many types of flowers and bulbs found here, you could also purchase your very own cannabis starter kit, which I am sure has huge sales considering you can't bring them across the border! (I wonder how many people are stupid enough to try?)
By this point, we were pretty tired, so we headed back to the houseboat, rested, watched the tour boats go by, and found a place for dinner.
Luden is a restaurant that Kathy suggested - it was a fixed-price three course meal. So as not to disappoint Dad by not having any food descriptions: I started with a smoked wild boar salad, and had beef tenderloins in a strognoff sauce for dinner. Grant started with the beef carpachio with Parmesan shavings, while Gary had a goat cheese with bacon pastry. They both had kangaroo steak for dinner (which was way better than mine - much more tender!) For dessert we all had chocolate mouse and chocolate tarts served with vanilla sauce. So delicious!
What is nice about Amsterdam is, if you want a long, leisurely meal - like in France, you can do that - but if you want to eat more quickly - you can do that, too. We left the restaurant at 8:30, just as the football game was beginning and the Russian National Anthem was playing. By the time we got to the end of the street, it was Holland's turn - as the street erupted in song as everyone began singing along.
We caught the 9:00 tour boat through the canals and enjoyed a tour cruise through some of Amsterdam's more famous sites. (The buildings all have hooks at the top - when people move, they bring the furniture up through the windows because the doors and stairways are too narrow!) About half way through the tour, we heard a collective groan throughout the town as Russia scored it's first goal. After the boat, we walked back to our houseboat - and the streets, which were teeming with people just an hour earlier, were now deserted - it was like walking through a ghost town! The entire population of the city were huddled in bars, gathered around tvs in tents, or at the game itself, which was played nearby. I do love the energy, though - when Holland scored, even though you couldn't see anyone watching the game, you could here the screams and shouts throughout the town.
Back at the houseboat, we joined the legions and watched the rest of the game. (Well, technically, I am sitting here blogging as the game played. Unfortunately (or possibly fortunately if it prevents honking....) Russia won 3 - 1, and the town is eerily quiet as people head home....
We went to the grocery store and then brought our purchases back to out houseboat and met up with Gary. We took the trolley to central station and then went to the Nemo (Science Museum.) They have a terraced roof that you can hang out on, with a snack bar.
After that, we did a self-guided walking tour of Amsterdam. We started by walking up Dam street to Dam square. After that we turned down a super-crowded, pedestrian only walk way lined with stored and restaurants. The very beginning was super crowded - this was caused by two women in nothing but underwear and body paint handing out orange balloons in honor of tonight's football match - Holland versus Russia.
(Ok, I know, and I know you know, how crazy Europe is about football (soccer.) I mean, I've experienced it before - in a world cup no less! - so I get how insane it all is. But knowing it, even experiencing it once or twice, well, you don't realize what it is like until you are actually in it. And you forget how all consuming - and crazy it is! Last night, Holland didn't even play, and people were driving by well past midnight honking their horns at the bar across the street! And today, with Holland actually playing? Forget it! The streets were packed today, and at least half of the people you saw were wearing orange. When JK Rowling writes about the craziness of the Quiddich matches, it is because of the hysteria you see here with soccer. In fact - I knew in my head that it was orange every where because Holland was playing soccer, but in my head I kept thinking it was the Chuddley Cannons getting ready for a Quiddich match, with everyone decked out in orange shirts, hats, feather boas, etc. I know. I am a nerd.)
Anyway, the other thing I noticed at various times (whether we were by a "coffee shop" or not, was that you could occasionally get the distinct smell of pot wafting off of people. Not often, but every once in a while.
Back to our walk. Halfway down the pedestrian walk, there was a "hidden church." There are actually many hidden Catholic churches which date back to when the Protestants were in charge and would not allow Catholics to practice. It is so odd - there was a modern store, a tiny church and another modern store.
A little farther down, we entered the Begijnhof. This was a secluded courtyard where Catholic lay women who did not want to be nuns but lived extremely pious lives lived. Throughout the centuries it has been a haven for religious women. In this area, there is a 500 year old wooden house - rare because most of these were burned down before city builders began using brick - another hidden Catholic church, which is opposite (like, maybe 10 yards across from) a protestant church where the Pilgrims were allowed to worship while waiting to sail on the Mayflower to America.
After this, we walked through a museum courtyard ant continued down the rest of the pedestrian walkway, and along a canal lined with flower stalls known as the flower market. Among the many types of flowers and bulbs found here, you could also purchase your very own cannabis starter kit, which I am sure has huge sales considering you can't bring them across the border! (I wonder how many people are stupid enough to try?)
By this point, we were pretty tired, so we headed back to the houseboat, rested, watched the tour boats go by, and found a place for dinner.
Luden is a restaurant that Kathy suggested - it was a fixed-price three course meal. So as not to disappoint Dad by not having any food descriptions: I started with a smoked wild boar salad, and had beef tenderloins in a strognoff sauce for dinner. Grant started with the beef carpachio with Parmesan shavings, while Gary had a goat cheese with bacon pastry. They both had kangaroo steak for dinner (which was way better than mine - much more tender!) For dessert we all had chocolate mouse and chocolate tarts served with vanilla sauce. So delicious!
What is nice about Amsterdam is, if you want a long, leisurely meal - like in France, you can do that - but if you want to eat more quickly - you can do that, too. We left the restaurant at 8:30, just as the football game was beginning and the Russian National Anthem was playing. By the time we got to the end of the street, it was Holland's turn - as the street erupted in song as everyone began singing along.
We caught the 9:00 tour boat through the canals and enjoyed a tour cruise through some of Amsterdam's more famous sites. (The buildings all have hooks at the top - when people move, they bring the furniture up through the windows because the doors and stairways are too narrow!) About half way through the tour, we heard a collective groan throughout the town as Russia scored it's first goal. After the boat, we walked back to our houseboat - and the streets, which were teeming with people just an hour earlier, were now deserted - it was like walking through a ghost town! The entire population of the city were huddled in bars, gathered around tvs in tents, or at the game itself, which was played nearby. I do love the energy, though - when Holland scored, even though you couldn't see anyone watching the game, you could here the screams and shouts throughout the town.
Back at the houseboat, we joined the legions and watched the rest of the game. (Well, technically, I am sitting here blogging as the game played. Unfortunately (or possibly fortunately if it prevents honking....) Russia won 3 - 1, and the town is eerily quiet as people head home....
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