Amsterdam, North Holland, NetherlandsCamera:
Canon M5
Lenses:
EF-M 11-22 f/4-5.
6 IS STM
EF-M 18-150 f/3.5-6.3 IS STM
EF-M 55-200 f/4.5-6.3 IS STM
Roel had breakfast set up for us. It was good, but I had
been used to a massive amount of meat and a smoked salmon benedict!!! Hmmmm, I
will miss those breakfasts!!!!
Today, we made our way back into town and visited the Hortus
Botanicus Amsterdam Botanical Garden. It is oldest in the world. Now, a
botanical garden is not really my thing, but I find flowers and plants with
some interesting colors and textures to take a picture!! When we went into some
of the greenhouses, our glasses and camera lenses would fog up immediately from
the high humidity!!!
We found five bee hives hidden by the canal side. Hmmm, I
wonder if our bees are OK?!?!
Activity: Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam
Website: https://www.dehortus.nl/?lang=en
Additional History: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hortus_Botanicus_(Amsterdam)
Guide: No Guide
Reservations: Not Required
Cost: Free with “I Amsterdam Card!”
Required Time: 2 hours
Recommendation: Highly Recommend
We went into the butterfly house.
It was full of
butterflies!!! This place was cool (actually it was hot and humid) to see.
We took a long wandering route to get back to the main
touristy area. We found a nice Lebanese restaurant with table right on the
canal!! It was an excellent location. I got a Lebanese pizza with spicy meat.
Mmmmmmm, it was excellent. Kim had a great lamb kebob.
We made our way down to the Central Station area to find a
canal cruise. We picked a Stromma cruise. I have been on their cruises in
Denmark and Sweden. As I was boarding, our captain asked if I wanted to sit by
the open door so I could take pictures. Hell yes I wanted to sit there. As we
got started, she handed me a cushion to sit on. She said that my a$$ie would
feel better sitting on the cushion rather than the hard step!!! Hmmmm. A little
later, she was behind a slower boat. She said hurry your a$$ up. It was quickly
followed by “Are you f%*#ing kidding me!!” Well, she doesn’t hold anything
back.
Activity: Stromma - 100 Highlights Cruise
Website: https://www.stromma.com/en-nl/amsterdam/sightseeing/canal-tours/100-highlights-cruise/
Guide: No Guide
Reservations: Not Required
Cost: Free with “I Amsterdam Card!”
Required Time: ~1 hour
Recommendation: Highly Recommend
As we were going past the new city hall (shitty hall – her
words), she related the story on why that ugly, plain building was there. The
story revolved around one politician. She said the only good news they got
about that politician was when they were informed that he died.
She tried to
use her horn to move another boat. It was a pathetic horn sound. She says out
loud “That sounds like a fart folks!!” She blew it a few times and laughed each
time she did it!!
I was laughing throughout the ride!!
We worked our way to the Anne Frank House, but arrived about
a half hour early. There was not much to do until I spied the Tulip Museum. It
was free with the I Amsterdam Card, so we went in to see what it was.
Activity: Amsterdam Tulip Museum
Website: https://www.amsterdamtulipmuseum.com/en/
Additional History: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam_Tulip_Museum
Guide: No Guide
Reservations: Not Required
Cost: Free with “I Amsterdam Card!”
Required Time: 1/2 hours
Recommendation: Recommend – only if interested and have time
to kill.
Well, it wasn’t much of a museum. I did learn where the
tulips originated and how the bulbs are harvested.
Our time came for the Anne Frank house. I wanted to go here
thirty years ago when I first came here. Before you get to the Secret Annex,
the museum does a great job of putting the reasons for the annex into perspective.
I had seen several TV programs on Anne Frank, but there were pictures and
history that I had not seen before. When you see pictures or watch programs, it
does not really give you the sense of how cramped it was for eight people.
Activity: Anne Frank House
Website: https://www.annefrank.org/en/
Additional History:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anne_Frank_House
Guide: Audio Guide
Reservations: Required
Cost: €10.50
Required Time: 1 1/2 hours
Recommendation: Very Highly Recommend
After they were captured, the Nazis cleaned out all of the
furniture and only left a few personal items. One of the items was Anne’s
diary. The museum was a thought provoking experience!
2025-05-22