We got up early and had plenty of time to take in some of Amsterdam’s museum offerings before we were supposed to be at the boat. (The information we’d gotten said to arrive between 4 and 5pm)
We started off at the Rijksmusem. It’s home to some Rembrandts. And to some things we thought Kaitlyn would like. Ok, hoped she would like. She did ok at first. She liked the model of a ship she thought looked like the one Captain Hook sails. The museum also touts a collection of doll houses that were made to replicate homes of rich families who spent their money on tiny versions of their possessions. The collection: 2 houses. Kaitlyn looked but wasn’t enthralled. By the time we got to the things I’d wanted to see, she had lost all interest. Maybe her attitude influenced my impression of Rembrandt. Who knows. I don’t want to say I wasn’t impressed… but it just didn’t strike me the way the Sistine Chapel did in Rome. I’m not trying to spark an art debate. That’s just what I thought.
The plan was to then go to the Van Gogh museum, which is practically next door. But the line was down the block. None of us wanted to stand there and wait. (we’d tried to buy the tickets in advance at the hotel but the person at the concierge desk with the keys to the museum tickets was going to be back sometime soon and that was too vague for us) I really want to go and am determined not to miss this one, like I’ve ended up not getting to museums for one reason or another on our other trips. Bill noticed a billboard saying that next weekend is museum weekend. We can only guess that means bigger crowds. But I’m not going to let that scare me away.
As usual, I had a list of recommended restaurants I’d found before we left. Granted, I didn’t do the full research I usually do, but I still had the names of a couple of places I really wanted to try. Top of my list: The Pancake Bakery. Not because I so adore pancakes. But because their menu which I read at home included everything from regular pancakes to ones filled with savory fillings. It wasn’t far but wasn’t close to where we were. It took 40 minutes or so to walk there and it was about the last of the walking that Kaitlyn was interested in. We sat down and I settled on the Mexican pancake. But then Bill said he was going to order nachos for an appetizer… and I switched my order to apples and cheese… attempting to mix sweet and savory in one dish. It arrived and it was good but it was a mistake. I really should have gotten the Mexican one. It was the one I wanted. But we weren’t impressed enough to go back. Pancake places are almost as plentiful as coffee shops in Amsterdam (coffee shops in Amsterdam aren’t a place for a latte… they’re for a joint and maybe a coffee)
We arrived at the boat with our bags at 4:00… just like the itinerary told us to. The itinerary also said we’d sail at 5. Five came and went and we didn’t budge. We were waiting for the last passengers… a family of five from Spain. Known throughout the entire trip as the Spanish family. They finally called and said their plane would touch down at 6:30. (we flew in the day before just in case of a late or canceled flight… to avoid missing the boat!) We waited until 7:30 for them to arrive… then we ate dinner and set sail. When they did arrive they were rowdy and unsupervised. Please, let that be the first-night-on-vacation mode.
While we waited, we met the others we’ll spend the week with. A couple from France. A couple from Switzerland. No avoiding speaking French this week. I tried to tell the man from France where we live; I don’t know if he even understood me. There was also a couple from Norway. And a couple from Canada. It turns out, we and the Spanish family are the only ones who haven’t been on a trip like this before.
After dinner, we got a briefing on what to expect this week and tomorrow. I cannot wait for it to start.