Land & Sea - LIVE (nearly) from Amsterdam and ms Rotterdam 15 day Atlantic Sojourn - October 7th, 2023

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for taking us along.  Loving it.

[kazu]

46 minutes ago, seaoma said:

My husband has family that lived in Amstelveen. The first time he visited them, during a walk around the neighborhood, my husband commented on all the windows without curtains. His uncle replied that the Dutch were too polite to look into the houses of other people.

 

Totally makes sense.  There is also a big rule on the Red light district - no pics, no leering, etc.

 

Wonderful attitude the Dutch have. 👍 

[kazu]

2 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Apologies - pics got mucked up - this one is the Old Amsterdam layout.  Sorry about that.

 

 

[durangoscots]

Visited my nephew several times when he was living in Amsterdam. He had an apartment in a house on the canal within walking distance of the center of the city. He loved it and when the building came up for sale he wanted to buy it. His wife was against it due to the upkeep and the fact that the each had a widowed mother living in the States. They now live in Ohio and he still talks about that apartment and the building. I used to love visiting him on the canal and watching the boats go past.

 

Susan

[BetsyS.]

Jacqui - I'm happy that you have a great hotel and that you have had fun in Amsterdam after the terrible ordeal you had to get there. Enjoy your last day in Amsterdam tomorrow ! 😊

[oakridger]

I really appreciate all the info about the Banks Mansion.  Also was looking to go on one of the older historic canal boat tours.  I'll check into Captain Dave!

 

~Nancy

[vino100]

8 hours ago, kazu said:

 

yes, there are still items in your mini bar and on the table but the little carafes of port are gone.  I totally get that with a) covid concerns and b) waste, (not everyone drinks port).

 

I am more than content.  That’s the only key cutback I see other than the little appies they used to get at the market on certain nights.

 

I am more than content and still think it’s a great place.  the staff are superb

we love that hotel, thanks to your recommendation years ago ! 
thanks for your posts as they are always entertaining. 

[bcummin]

It is wonderful that you get to enjoy the exquisite Banks Mansion, especially since you have such good memories there.  XO

Barbara

[ski ww]

Your pictures bring back many good memories.

[kazu]

So for those interested here are some pics of my room at the Banks Mansion.  it’s the cheapest one they have (comfy room).  Now all rooms are not the same size - like the beloved Prinsendam, they don’t have cookie cutter rooms.

My friends are in comfy room and have a bathtub and a shower (room description says shower).  My room is shower only.  If they weren’t already unpacked, she would have traded.  My aching legs needed a bath tub.  LOL.

 

 

Bed is very comfortable too.

 

 

 

 

 

Mini bar is all included of course 😉 

 

[kazu]

The tote bag in your room comes in handy.

 

 

 

As does the memo pad.  Tons of pages.  Definitely going with me 🙂 

 

[BetsyS.]

Jacqui - Thanks for posting the pictures. Your room looks great and I love your teddy! 😊

[kazu]

2 minutes ago, BetsyS. said:

Jacqui - Thanks for posting the pictures. Your room looks great and I love your teddy! 😊

 

Ahh thanks.  Teddy holds a heart with some of Jose’s ashes.

[kazu]

These treats are out every day.

 

 

 

Today all day instead of Dutch cookies, there were Dutch cookies.

 

 

 

There was a cheese on the cheese tray that was to die for.  Too crowded to get a pic but here is the name of it.

 

 

 

and so you can find the hotel - look for the wooden bikes 🙂 

 

[kazu]

So, today we had a tour with Vincent and 7 of us headed to Haarlem.

 

It’s a lovely town about 1/2 hour from Amsterdam.  Much quieter than Amsterdam.

 

 

Amsterdam is a young city and when people are ready to start a family and buy a home a lot move to Haarlem.  Pretty city with it’s own history.

 

A couple of wealthy men did something great for ladies when they reached 60 and if they were Catholic (the latter no longer applies.

 

 

They set up communities for them to live in if they were single or widowed.  So they were not reliant on caring for another man if they were widowed or alone. (This is way back in time when women didn’t work).  They are still in use today.  And there is usually a waiting list.  Each woman has her own kitchen, etc but it is a community and the gate closes at night and any one visiting must leave.
Very peaceful and inviting.

 

 

 

This one is the oldest dating back to the 1300’s.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FlorenceItaly]

Jacqui, I am so happy you are having a good trip.  Thank you for sharing.  Your postings are bringing back such fond memories for me.  Our DS and DIL live in Amsterdam.  We were there in May/June after our Zuiderdam TA.  While there we took the bus to Haarlem and enjoyed it very much.  You are fortunate to be having lovely weather.

[kazu]

Then on to see more.  Haarlem’s dedication to the Jews who lost their lives.

 

 

Thee were 1500 Jews in Haarlem at the time of the war.  Hitler and the *** killed 750 of them.

 

 

 

These were  the listings of all those lost - just one side.  Names, birthdates, deaths (as best known) and where.  The sad thing was that there were entire families.

 

 

then we were on the very old church.  Dating back to the 1300’s.  It was originally a Catholic Church and now is a Protestant one.

 

 

 

The gorgeous roof:

 

 

Chandelier

 

A bit of a close up of the altar to see the workmanship:

 

 

 

 

[1of4]

Your room looks very nice and comfortable. Next time (being optimistic) you will know to request a room with a tub. Love your tote bag too 😉 and glad you find it useful. That community for women over 60 is a marvellous idea and wish it was widely adopted. 

[Ready2go11]

We arrived yesterday after an overnight flight. We loved our canal ride this morning and went to the Albert Cuyp market and sampled our way through for lunch.  Recommend the metro for quick, efficient travel. So much to see and a great place for cheese and fresh made stroopwafels with warm caramel centers. Glad we are walking so much!
 

Yesterday evening we were walking around near our hotel (Kimpton Dewitt- excellent location and amenities) and happened to see the King of Netherlands as he left a meeting. Although there was security around, we were surprised at how close we were to him!

[0106]

We started our morning at the Rijksmuseum. 
It is combination of Dutch historical artifacts.

And fine art including Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh 

It has a gorgeous research library.

And beautiful gardens surrounding the building.

We enjoyed walking back to the hotel, seeing many beautiful flowers along the way.  
One caution, beware the bicyclists, they are everywhere.After exploring and walking for 6 hours….

Proost!

Edited October 6, 2023 by 0106

[kazu]

And then we were off for more walk - we were on our way for what was the piece de resistance for some of us.

 

We stopped at Market Square

 

 

The church had a multi purpose.  The huge tower was not just about saying how big it was.   Watchers were there for fires, other alerts and invasion.

 

 

 

The Market square - in the old days you bought your fish from one place, cheese from another, meat from another, etc.

 

 

[kazu]

33 minutes ago, 1of4 said:

Your room looks very nice and comfortable. Next time (being optimistic) you will know to request a room with a tub. Love your tote bag too 😉 and glad you find it useful. That community for women over 60 is a marvellous idea and wish it was widely adopted. 

 

The tub has already been noted.  They do that for previous bookers.  They didn’t realize I had been before until I asked what happened to the luggage elevator.

 

Last night they asked when and were perplexed they didn’t have a note.  I told them it would have been under Jose’s name and there it was.

Shift is changing and the lovely lady came up to bid me farewell and she said “bathtub” is noted for next time.

 

Have to tell you I have the “Paris” bag again that you made (hoping 3 times is the charm) and I have had so MANY compliments on it.  Everyone asks to see it and admire your exquisite workmanship.

[cruising sister]

I am enjoying your travels. I have ideas for next time. Have fun!

[kazu]

And now, the piece de resistance - might not appeal to all. But, if you like history and if you like the story of Anne Frank….

 

 

Yes, we are at the Corrie Ten Boom House.  A close knit family and very religious, Corrie became the first female watchmaker in Holland.  She wasn’t popular with the *** working with the mentally challenged among other things.

 

Tried to get a better angle of outside and of course someone has to walk by.  GRRR

 

 

Photos are only allowed in a couple of spots.  For anyone who has watched the movie the Hiding Place or read the book, it is a moving story.

 

Corrie was part of the underground movement and saved 100’s of Jews as they sought refuge and kept being passed on.  (Think the Underground Railroad). Only 5% were involved in the Underground movement and she believed in helping others.

 

They were caught by this:

 

 

Too many food ration stamps hidden in a floor board.  The *** didn’t find the people hiding because of the construction.  But the too many food stamps gave them away thanks to a betrayer (he was paid $25 - 7 guilders to do it).

 

this is Corrie:

 

 

And her book

 

 

The had a special wall built of brick so that when the *** knocked on the walls it wouldn’t sound false.  It’s a VERY small space that held 6 people.  

 

 

The cut out is done by the Church so you can see the space.  Those being harboured were trained to get up the stairs and in the room in 70 seconds.  No idea how they did it.

 

See the bottom little door under the shelf?  

 

 

They went in through that.  There was a rope inside and the last person in shut the door.  A close up of it.

 

 

When Corrie and her family were captured by the ***, the *** checked for days and gave up on finding those being hidden.  42 hours later they came out.  All they had was a tiny space, a bucket, a bit of water and crackers.

 

Corrie survived her imprisonment unlike most of her family by luck or the grace of God as she believed.  They misread her number and let her go after a few months instead of gassing her with the others of her age.

 

She went around the world talking about all, Anti-Semitism and encouraging support and faith.  The map of s just some of the places she had been to - 64 in all.

 

 

The tiny rooms you see are the bedrooms and bathroom and up a few more narrow stairs it the Hiding Room - in the bathroom.

I have only touched on the story.  Our roll call has selected her  book as their first discussion piece.  It is truly worthy of a read.  

 

Admittance is free - reservations are a must.  A donation to the church is appreciated.  All the people there are church volunteers

[travelnap]

Jacqui, Bon Voyage, and wishes for a great and safe cruise for you and all the others who have chimed in on your thread.