DAY 15 AND 16, SEPTEMBER 10TH AND 11TH AMSTERDAM AND HOME

 I should first mention that Thursday, the 9th, when we arrived in Amsterdam we walked to our hotel about 1.5 kilometers. Upon arrival we found that the person who booked it didn't take into account the steep narrow steps to reception followed by many many many additional steps to our fourth floor rooms.


I don't want to embarrass anyone so I will keep the name of the person who booked it private, but his first name begins Ch. It really looked great in the pictures and it was actually fine for our two nights in Amsterdam.

Friday the 10th started out with a light breakfast in the room then a leisurely walk to the Van Gogh Museum.

It was time for the second visit of the vacation to the q-tip dispensary where a lovely lady thoroughly examined or noses so we could fly home Saturday. While we gratefully passed our exams Lieven and Marian went to the modern art museum, they passed on this test. We grabbed a bite to eat at a sidewalk café on one of the canal bridges treating ourselves after our visit.





This led to a break at the hotel. Which turned into 45 minutes to wait out a sudden rain storm that left as quickly as it arrived.

The last thing on our list was our prearranged tickets for the Anne Frank Museum and house. This is a very well done, haunting, incredibly sad, reminder of the atrocities one group can bestow on another.


We then all met up and walked around until we found a place for our last dinner together. It was filled with laughs and tinged with sorrow knowing that in the morning we would all be heading our separate ways.


 Our last dinner together

September 11th started with tearful goodbyes and a cab to the airport for the four of us. What followed was endless hours in airplanes, a layover, and multiple trips through security. Just 24 hours after leaving the hotel we were home. 

This was bittersweet, the trip had been wonderful. An incredible riverboat experience, that may have to close again due to covid. Steff and Nancy are travelling companions I would go anywhere with. Along with a wonderful visit with an incredible couple who have a great family, and are also great guides. A long list of places we want to return to and spend more time. This was all offset by the anticipation of seeing the family, well at least the grandkids, they were very missed.

Thanks for reading, stay safe,
Chuck

Comments

  1. UnknownSeptember 12, 2021 at 9:48 PM

    Welcome back. Thanks for the commentary and the pictures. Loved ‘em.

    ReplyDelete
  2. MarkSeptember 15, 2021 at 7:40 PM

    Welcome home! Thanks for sharing your great experience!

    ReplyDelete

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