The morning was really somewhat wasted on us as the noon hour departure from the hotel sort of fouled up the morning. We did manage to get to the Central Station some short distance from our hotel. There, streetcars, buses, trams, intercity and international trains etc. come and go without much fanfare. Just quiet efficiency.
The building is a magnificent building built some many years ago, maybe 100 plus. It has been expanded many times and is very modern. There is a great deal of young people travelling today, much as it was 55 years ago when I was first here.
At noon we took a cab to the Cruise Ship terminal some 30 K outside of Amsterdam at a little town that I cannot spell or pronounce. As I write this I can see the English Channel about a mile away.
We boarded without fuss and were soon in our cabin enjoying a glass of wine and having a nibble on fruit. We had lifeboat drill before we sailed, without life jackets for some reason, and then got cleaned up as we headed out into the Channel to somewhat very mild seas and brilliant sunshine.
Dinner was interesting, we have open seating which means we can go between 5 and 9 and sit alone or at a group table. Today we sat with two American couples, one from Maine and one from Santa Barbara. Nothing really exciting happened but it was nice to be with some folks again after three days without that interaction.
After dinner we had cocktails with the captain because we paid too much for this cabin. We had what I thought was a stimulating conversation with him and also with the Chief Engineer and also with the Cruise Director, who is from Mt. Vernon, Washington.
Soon it was time to retire and enjoy the motion of the ocean. Great day, nice to be at sea again, even if it is only the English Channnel, but everbody refers to it as the North Sea.
The Captain mentioned that, with luck, we may see the White Cliffs of Dover tomorrow morning if the weather holds.
Amsterdam Central Station
The exterior. What a pile of history this building has seen.
Some pictures of our very nice home for two weeks.
Another shot.
More. I took pictures before I messed it up!
Big balcony, will we get to use it?
The small pool is one of two, I think?
New style windmills in the background, along with belching chimneys, steam I think.
My valet has laid out our clothes very nicely, along with our life jackets.
That ship is coming in, we wentin the opposite direction, and if you could see far enogh you might see Britain on the horizon.
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