Day 17, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

68_°F

TEMP

51_%

CHANCE OF RAIN

AVERAGE WEATHER IN JUNE

Central European Time Zone (UTC+01:00)

TIME ZONE

Dutch

LANGUAGE

Euro 
€

CURRENCY

City of charming canals, elegant gabled houses, splendid museums and abundant bicycles, the Dutch capital of Amsterdam is a delight to explore. Its patchwork of waterways forms about 90 islands connected by 1,500 bridges. The legacy of the Dutch Golden Age lives on in gilded manses and in the lush paintings of Rembrandt and other Dutch masters that adorn the Rijksmuseum, The Netherlands's grand repository of art and cultural history. Today, discovering Amsterdam is a pleasure best pursued on foot, following tranquil canals past charming narrow-fronted houses. Linger over classic Dutch pancakes, or take a stroopwafel to go.

Day 17

Amsterdam Walking Tour

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 DATE:  TUESDAY, JUN 12

 START TIME:  MORNING

 DURATION:  2 HOURS

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EASY

SIGHTSEEING

Get acquainted with the neighborhood around your hotel and discover why romantic Amsterdam is a city best explored on foot. You will meet your guide and set out into the charming streets. As you walk, admire the countless gabled houses. The city’s old tax code shaped these quaint homes into what they are today: Builders were taxed based on the frontage of their dwelling. Follow the tranquil canals (grachten) to the city’s open squares (pleinen) where cafés and shops greet you. The 60 miles of canals keep the waters of the North Sea at bay with a series of sluices at the city’s perimeter. In all, the network of canals forms a horseshoe shape with Centraal Station at the center of the mouth. Your guide will give you tips on getting around and staying oriented during your stay, and on walking in harmony among the many bicyclists and trams.

Last Full Day

This is our last full day of the cruise. We woke early and saw a beautiful sunrise. Then we went back to sleep and slept until around seven.

We went to breakfast then later we went to the embarkation talk. Sam did a good job of explaining everything that we need to know about the procedure for the morning.
We received our surveys and luggage tags.

Ken went to a talk about the engineering of the ship and I stayed in our room to pack.
By then it was time for lunch. We sat with new cruise friends Sue and Herb and Jim and Pam. We gave them Canada pins and they seemed really pleased to receive them.

After lunch we filled in our surveys and got ready for our afternoon Windmill tour

The tour was a walking tour and for the first time we walked from the ship to our destination. There was no bus involved. It was a beautiful sunny day. There was a lovely breeze so that made it nice. I had brought my jacket because I expected it to be cool but that proved to not be necessary. I was soon carrying it. As usual the guide was great and she thoroughly explained everything about the mills then and now. The mills we saw today went back to 1738. They are amazing feats of engineering.

We actually went inside of a working mill. It was possible to climb to the top but we did not climb. I did see the living room .

After the visit to the museum we went to the gift shop. I bought a small pair of wooden shoes as a memento of this trip. They will go into the china cabinet with my other souvenirs.

We strolled back to the ship with our guide. Ken had to get packing.

There was enough time to do the packing, rest for a half hour and enjoy the views from our cabin. Much to our surprise we passed by Noah's Arc, complete with 2 giraffe.

We filled in our questionnaires, and got out tips and extra tips and bill all organized. We were able to pay everything in cash . I went down to customer service with everything. We will give our extra tips to our people tonight.

Next was to get dressed up for the captain's farewell get together. It was in the lounge and we were given champagne for the toasts.

We went to dinner and then back here to finalize the packing etc.
The cruise is quickly coming to a close. We will have traveled 1900 kl, passed under 822 bridges and passed through 66 locks. We saw many castles and cathedrals and met many wonderful people.
We have to have our luggage out at seven and the bus takes us to the Hyatt Regency at 8:30. We will have 2 days in Amsterdam before we fly home on Thursday so stay tuned!

Day 16 Kinderdijk, The Netherlands

68_°F

TEMP

49_%

CHANCE OF RAIN

AVERAGE WEATHER IN JUNE

Central European Time Zone (UTC+01:00)

TIME ZONE

Dutch

LANGUAGE

Euro 
€

CURRENCY

           


















Located where the Lek and Noord Rivers meet, Kinderdijk is a village community in the Alblasserwaard province. This corner of South Holland, part of the scenic Waal and Merwede regions, has long been shaped by Rhine Delta waters. Kinderdijk is most known for its 19 remarkably preserved 18th-century windmills. The charming hamlet is located amidst low-lying polders, tracts of land reclaimed from the sea by the power of the windmills and enclosed by embankments, or dikes. This legendary place calls to mind the 1865 novel, Hans Brinker, in which a heroic boy plugs his finger into a ruptured dike.

Day 16

Kinderdijk Windmills

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 DATE:  MONDAY, JUN 11

 START TIME:  AFTERNOON

 DURATION:  2 HOURS

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MODERATE

ACTIVE

SIGHTSEEING

UNESCO

WORKING WORLD

See the picturesque Dutch countryside and the original technological marvels of historic Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You will walk with your guide into the serene polder lands of South Holland. As you cross the dike to the windmills, you will notice that they in fact are at a lower elevation than your ship, as much of this part of The Netherlands is below sea level. Built in the mid-18th century, these 19 windmills, the largest concentration in The Netherlands, stand like sentinels on a hushed landscape. You will learn why they were built and see firsthand how they work, even stepping into a working windmill to observe its mechanics and living quarters. Families who live in these mills are required to keep them in working order. This excursion provides a revealing look at these marvelous buildings that helped shape the legendary Dutch landscape.

Sunday June 9th

We were in Cologne, Germany and it was an event filled day. We had breakfast and then got ready for our morning walking tour of the Cologne cathedral. We were ready with our things gathered and the ship was safely tied up. Then Sam came on the PA to announce that there were some unforseen problems. They were having a marathon in Cologne and many roads were blocked off making it impossible for the buses to reach us. That would not do since we were a half hour walk from where our tour was to begin. To solve the problem the captain agreed to move the ship to the town center just long enough for us to disembark. Then he would return to our assigned docking location. That move would bring us past the closed roads and into the area of the tour. This move would take about 25 minutes which would mean a shortened tour but that was a solution to the problem. So away we went. Of course all of the tour guides and drivers etc. had to be notified of the time and location change.
Our guide was Peter and he was very good. Being from Holland he has several different comments during our walk.

We walked over the bridge with all of the lovers locks. He told us how many tons of locks were on this bridge. I think he said 25 tons but I will have to check that with Google. It was really amazing to see.

Once you get on the bridge you can see more of the famous Cathedral. It is unbelievable and all I can say is look at the pictures. You will be dumb struck when you realize the time period in which it was begun.

Because it was Sunday we believed we could not enter the cathedral. But last minute Peter learned that we could go inside. He gave us 10 minutes to have a quick peek. Of course Ken and I went in, cameras in hand. I lit a candle for Len, took pictures got a guide, tried to get change to pay for it. There was a sermon happening in German. We did not understand it but we were awestruck by the architecture. I was hoping to hear the organ but no luck.

Then we left. Unfortunately we had been there 15 minutes, not the allowed ten.

So we tried to find our group and met with no success. We could not even hear Peter on our Quietvox devices. We walked to where they might be and then gave up. We were in a strange city, we did not know the language and we did not know where we were going. We were not really worried but we decided that we had better make our way back to the square in front of the cathedral. We knew there would be Viking guides there and we knew where out bus would be leaving from.


We saw Sam and checked with him, we were right on the location and the bus to return us to the ship would be there in 10 minutes.


The rest of the day was uneventful. We basically relaxed and enjoyed the ship. People watching on the Rhine... who would have ever thought we would be in Cologne Germany enjoying the scenery.

As an aside it would not have crossed my mind... especially since I thought Cologne was in France. Eau de Cologne should come from Cologne and than should mean Cologne was in France. I discovered my ignorance when we booked this cruise.


After dinner there was entertainment in the longue. We were entertained by 3 pieces of the Cologne Academy of Music. They played classical pieces that were very familiar and they also did some modern music. It was VERY good.

By then it was time for the ship to leave port and we watched sail away before we called it a night.

Day 15 , Cologne, Germany

72_°F

TEMP

48_%

CHANCE OF RAIN

AVERAGE WEATHER IN JUNE

Central European Time Zone (UTC+01:00)

TIME ZONE

German

LANGUAGE

Euro 
€

CURRENCY

 




















An intriguing mix of old and new, Cologne reveals its Roman heritage in its city layout and the ancient ruins that lie scattered through the town. Cologne's modern plazas and Hohe Strasse, a pedestrian-only shopping zone, host welcoming shops, enticing restaurants and, of course, cologne boutiques. Of particular note is the city's 14th-century cathedral, a stunning example of Gothic artistry and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spared Allied bombs during World War II, the cathedral's imposing twin spires are visible for miles; stained-glass windows fill the interior with brilliant colored light. Its 509 steps lead to a 312-foot platform with astounding views.

Day 15

Cologne Walking Tour

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 DATE:  SUNDAY, JUN 10

 START TIME:  MORNING

 DURATION:  2 HOURS

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MODERATE

ACTIVE

SIGHTSEEING

UNESCO

Learn about the treasured heritage of Cologne and visit its spectacular cathedral, towering over the Old City in its Gothic splendor. You’ll step into a rich past here, following some of its preserved historic street pattern and hearing about its Roman and medieval history along the way. You will also stop at Cologne’s magnificent Gothic cathedral. Construction of this towering structure, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, began in 1248 and continued in several stages over seven centuries. Finally completed in 1880, it largely escaped damage that ravaged the city and the rest of Germany during World War II. The largest Gothic cathedral in Northern Europe, it is a magnificent church with two soaring spires and beautiful stained-glass windows.