Amsterdam.

Two night ago I had lobster bisque and roast duck with black current sauce for dinner.  Tonight was a heavenly cream of garlic soup and pasta specially prepared by my brazillian pasta chef.  yummy.

We have breakfast in cabin delivered each morning.

pictures are slow to load and slow means expensive, so less of them...these next few days are at sea so not uch time to write.  I know my fans, my people, you will be disappointed. I am sorry, I will try to be worthy.

we sleep with the curtains to our wonderful window open.  today roger woke me at 4:00 am "wake up, wake up - look! we are going through the locks!"  The north sea channel to Amsterdam is controlled by a lock
about the size of the Panama Canal.  We dozed and occaisonally peered out our window from 4 to 6, trying grasp a few hours more  of sleep but still wanting to see some of the 17 miles of channel from the North Sea to the City.

we docked in Amsterdam early.  We'd found an informal self-guided walk through amsterdam that suggested an hour long canal ride first, which was so beautiful and charming.  A view from water is infinitely different than a view from street levelI am pleased that we did both.

Our walk was long, and we saw many things old and new.  It was a perfect day, except this:  the sunless, narrow alleys that open onto the  windows of the working ladies of the Red Light district.  Bitter and sordid, they broke my heart in a hundred different ways.  The Africans - large, somber women with angry glares and hard lined faces.  The east european sex workers, blond and beautiful and fragile, some with jutting hipbones so sharp they hurt to look at. I want the world to stop this.

but enough of that.  coffee shops:  that scent, it didn't waft, it billowed.  it followed and lifted us through our morning.  People strolled and smiled and were mellow.

Around every corner, more charm and beauty than the last.  lunch at a little canal side pub, with dutch beer and open face sandwiches.  Churches and monuments and a few statues, but mostly buildings and architecture and water.

the Rijksmuseum: I fell in love with 17th century dutch masters years ago, and it didn't disappoint again.  however much I love the impressionists, the realism and symbolism of these 350 year old paintings have remained my favorites.

We met Stephan and Barry, two dutch firefighters, on our walk back to the ship.  They were great.  Barry is a kite surfer, and planning a trip to Hood River soon. We talked the job, and the union, and the benefits, and the retirement, and how much their union sold them out.  haha!  it is international!  :)

back on board, walked the decks from side to side as we traversed back through the canal to the North sea. After miles through the dutch countryside, we entered the locks barely wide enough for our massive ship.  It was a fascinating three hour journey.

For some reason, I have less words to describe this most perfect day.  In my travels, this day ranks among the very best.  It was perfectly unplanned and stress-free.  It was unhurried and leisurely and lovely, it was filled with beauty and charm. We saw so much. May everyone someday, somewhere, have a day like this.

We are now back in the north sea, being gently rocked by waves in this ship that I enjoy more each day,
and anticipating our day tomorrow in Bruges, Belgium.  Thanks for reading.