Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2016 🇳🇱 – Michael and Pam's Travels

Travelled : 113 kilometres from Rotterdam to Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Visited : Delft and Amsterdam

Stayed : Amsterdam City Park a large Aire on the north side. All services. 10 minute walk to NDSM ferry. 15 minutes by ferry to the centrum N52.39836 E04.90114

Budget : 32 days @ €85 per day

We say goodbye to Rotterdam after another quiet night on the canal. Before we leave we walk back up into the Schiedam to get some bread from a little Turkish Bakery and a few things from the supermarket which included a case of Heinekin. During our travels this year I have rarely see more than a six pack on special but this little supermarket has one of the worlds best beers on special for €11 a case (24).

Our next overnight stop is planned for Delft only 20 kilometres to the north. It has no aire but a parking spot comes up in our database and we soon arrive. It’s roadside parking and it will be difficult to get the Hymer even close to level. As a general rule we try and overnight the Hymer as close to level as possible. Added to that there’s an odd looking fellow hanging about. We stay a while a have breakfast and a coffee. The odd fellow is still wandering about, so we decide Delft will wait till another time and we continue north to Amsterdam.

The roads in The Netherlands are amazing (ignoring the graffiti).

We book the Hymer into Amsterdam City Park, a large aire on the north side. It’s a few minutes walk to the ferry terminal and where soon crossing the Nieuwe Mass (river) to central Amsterdam.

We just got off, I don’t know how all these people are going to fit in, going back.

The Royal Palace in Amsterdam’s Dam Square.

The local tour ferries jostling about in the canal.

Amsterdam is a sea of people everywhere you look today.

Amsterdam is a postcard once you can get away from the crowds.

……………day 2.

Saturday morning in the western canal district. It’s very quiet this morning but it doesn’t last.

Not sure who he was, but it’s an interesting sculpture. Just off the Keizersgrocht Canal.

Not everyone’s having a good morning it would seem. Amsterdam is not the cleanest city that’s for sure. Look left or right and it’s rubbish and cigarette buts.

We visit Anne Frank’s House on the Prinsenger.

The further we walk the more people we see. Eventually after seeing a hundred people dressed in leather pants, or as Indians or Highway Patrol policeman we are told it’s Europe Gay Pride weekend in Amsterdam and there’s a parade today.

Still a couple of hours before the parade starts and the beer is flowing. Everyone is very friendly but the Police and Emergency Services are struggling a little. Given the beer and the marijuana on tap here everyone is feeling mellow.

After a late lunch and refreshing little rest back in the Hymer we head back into Amsterdam centrum for a post parade wander.

Wandering up through the Red-Light district in the early evening. There are street parties happening all around the canal district. After the first couple we try to avoid them, too noisy and rambunctious for us I’m afraid. There are numerous special cafes selling joints of marijuana all through the central canal area. €3 for the local hothouse, €5 for your imported rocket to a mellow place.

We finally find a little pub that just right with a great view of ‘life going by’.

……………day 3

It’s Sunday morning and we have tickets for the Van Gogh Museum. It’s too far to walk, so we take our bikes over by ferry and ride our way through the myriad of canals to the museum district. It’s a fun ride cutting through the network of canal and lane ways. Mostly it’s on dedicated cycle way. The city is not a pretty site today, the rubbish is blowing everywhere. We don’t see anyone out emptying bins and cleaning up.

The entry gate to the museum quarter, there are several notable museums here including the Rijksmuseum, but the Van Gogh is world famous.

Unfortunately there are no photos allowed, so this is all you get. It is however a fabulous story line of his work over many years. Many of his most famous works are displayed here and a hundred others you would never have seen. The commentary is excellent as well. The Van Gogh family trust still controls most of Vincent’s works and the museum.

The weather has changed again as we exit, with some light misty rain in the air. However it soon clears again and we make our way back to the ferry and the Hymer for a late lunch. We are in our 5th week on the road now, the weather has been unstable every day. If the sun appears it gets warm very quickly but it will turn and become cool again an hour later. Good for sleeping at night, but you need to carry a jacket everyday.

Michael and Pam

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