Cruising Amsterdam

September 4, 2013

Bright Eyed & Bushy Tailed!
Walking to get the Mac Bikes

                                      

Okay maybe we bit off more than we could comfortably chew. We just wanted to do like the Dutch, take in the sights like a local. Travel through the streets of Amsterdam via bicycle, breathing in the fresh air and feeling the wind on our faces. After 9 hours and covering a distance of 30 miles I officially earned the title “Trooper.” I'll be lucky if I can walk tomorrow.

Navigating the roads of Amsterdam on a bicycle with road signs in a foreign language makes getting where you are trying to go more challenging. Lucky for me my husband is a navigational wizard and we had plenty of time because we rented the Mac Bikes for 24 hours for the grand total of 25 euros. The city is crowded; more than 85% of the cities population own a bicycle and state that they ride it at least one day a week. The Dutch prefer the purr of the city without bustling cars everywhere and breathing clean air.

Although they are not bothered by the pungent scent of marijuana. As we made our way through the narrow pedestrian corridors the smell intensified. 'Brown coffee shops' are located throughout the city but people smoke everywhere with no concerns. If you are interested in the history of cannabis use in Holland the following link below is rather insightful.

http://www.kindgreenbuds.com/marijuana-articles/a-history-of-cannabis-in-holland/

The canals in Amsterdam are the cleanest waterway system we have seen on this journey. In addition to their beauty the canals provide another form of transportation for the Dutch as well as an alternative to living in a traditional house or apartment. There are 2,500 houseboats registered in the city limits of Amsterdam; each illustrating their own unique style. Living on an houseboat has always been a dream of mine so admiring each row of floating homes was one of my favorite thing about the city.

                                

After frequenting a few gift shops, eating ice cream cones, and sharing a Dutch cheese platter and glass of wine at the Van Gogh Cafe, we decided to climb aboard an evening canal cruise. The one hour cruise was very relaxing, we were able to kick off our shoes and rest while listening to our guide as she shared her historical and cultural insight.

At 10 pm we began our trek back to Gaasper Camping, the campsite we have been staying in just outside the city. Home sweet home... we arrived back at the Kangoo by 12:15 am exhausted and ready for a good nights rest.