Thursday morning we left Max in the storage area at the dealer in Germany, and did the 20 minute walk over to the train station. Our departure was scheduled for 9:20am, with a connection in Munster for our train to Amsterdam.
We made it to Munster okay, but when we went to get our connecting train, it wasn't on the platform that it should have been.
A little confused, I ran down to check the departures board. It was listed, but with a different number. Back upstairs, the train had arrived and Ruth thought I was going to miss it!
It turned out that they had a scheduling change and we were going to have to switch trains at another town.
Max, parked at the storage lot with his friends.
Waiting for the train.
We got to the town where they had to do the unexpected change, and they told us it was going to be an hour delay. We had no choice but to wait an hour on the platform.
Ruth, having a snooze while waiting for our delayed train.
At least it was a nice summer day!
Once the delayed train showed up it was an uneventful journey to Amsterdam. Except for when I broke my big toe! I stumbled going up the stairs to the platform and stubbed my toe really hard. Ouch! I'm sure its broken, but I will live. Not fun though... it's swollen and black and blue.
Getting off the train in Amsterdam. Bicycles everywhere.
Amsterdam train station.
A better view of Amsterdam Central Station.
Scenery along the way.
We booked a kind of an oddball Airbnb. Amsterdam is really expensive, and we only needed a place to rest our heads for a night so I found a hostel on an old boat. It was kind of a fun place to stay, but the rooms were postage stamp tiny, and it turned out that it wasn't a very quiet night.
Our boat... the Flow.
Ruth in our tiny room. There are two bunk beds on the other side of the door.
We dropped off our stuff and headed out to see what we could of Amsterdam.
The view from our accommodation.
Tall ship in the harbor.
People out enjoying a summer day.
Ruth spotted this odd building.
It's the Amsterdam Science Museum. It has a free rooftop terrace that you can climb the stairs up to, so that's what we did.
Central Amsterdam.
Our houseboat is the green and white one on the right.
The terrace on the Science Museum building.
Amsterdam tall ship.
Amsterdam is all about the water.
There are many crooked buildings!
We were on a bit of a mission. Regular readers here will remember that my father took a lot of photos during two trips to Europe, one in 1954 and one in 1957. We've had a fun project on the go whereby we try to recreate some of those photos by standing in the same place he might have stood 68 years ago.
So we had several photos to recreate from his 1954 trip. We knew the approximate locations, and it was going to be about a 10 km walk to see them all, but that would also give us a chance to see quite a lot of Amsterdam in a short period of time.
Here's the first one! 1954.
2022!
We quickly learned that many of the photos must have been taken from a boat tour. So we couldn't exactly get some of the angles right, but we still had fun doing it!
Statue in a park. 1954.
The statue is still there, but the beautiful park is gone! In fact, it was being used as a venue for the current Gay Pride Festival in Amsterdam.
Hm. Not quite as nice! 2022.
Canal bridge 1954.
This one was tough because there are a series of six or seven bridges all the same. Plus of course his photo was taken from the water. Still, we did the best we could...
Canal bridge 2022.
Lots of people out on the canals.
Some of the houseboats are interesting.
Side street. Lots of bicycles!
1954.
2022.
Interesting mural.
Ruth, petting the iguanas!
They are not real. Just statues!
Church 1954.
Church 2022.
The narrowest building in Amsterdam 1954.
The narrowest building in Amsterdam 2022.
The last one was kind of tough. But we asked somebody who was working and he asked his friend, and the friend says "Oh, I know where that is!". It was the view behind a restaurant right in the old town.
1954.
2022.
Again, we couldn't get the exact angle because we believe his photo was taken from a boat. But it's pretty close. We decided to stay at that restaurant and have dinner...
I had a typical Dutch dish. Potatoes and carrots with a pork chop.
Ruth had the steak and roast vegetables.
It was good, and we were stuffed! I had a large beer and Ruth had a glass of wine. Tipping is not expected in Amsterdam for average service, so we didn't leave a tip. Total bill including taxes was €51.50 ($67.80 CAD, $52.40 USD).
We walked back to the boat, and stopped along the way to buy a bottle of wine to share on the deck that evening.
Having a glass or two of wine.
Sunset in Amsterdam.
Next up... Amsterdam to Montreal!
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I am amazed that you walked that much with an injured toe! I hope it heals quickly!
ReplyDeleteKevin was in a bit of a fog when he wrote up this blog post and he got his days mixed up as to when he broke his toe. He actually had his accident when he was getting off the train and going up the stairs at the the airport the day we left Amsterdam, which was the day after this one. So that is why he was able to walk that much around Amsterdam because he hadn't actually hurt at this point. He definitely had issues trying to get around the airport and was in a fair bit of pain.
DeleteThanks! Kevin had me thinking he was super man and healed so quickly! Now I know he is just a nice normal human!
DeleteLol, no he isn't superman although, I am sure that we wished he was, lol! Just too much going on over the last few days and getting the times a little mixed up, so yeah he is just human like the rest of us. :-)
DeleteHaving had numerous Broken Toes you would not be able to walk that far. Count your blessings.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Scenery and nice retakes of the photos.
Be Safe and Enjoy the rest of this adventure.
It's about time.
You are correct, he definitely would not have been able to have walked that distance around Amsterdam with a broken toe, he actually had his accident with his toe the next day as we were leaving the train and heading up the stairs at the airport. We have had so much on the go the last couple of days that his days were getting a little mixed up. He is definitely having issues walking and getting around the airport was a challenge for him.
DeleteDouble decker bicycle parking is awesome!
ReplyDeleteThere is biking parking everywhere and lots of it, especially at the train stations where it is double decker parking. We were trying to figure out how they get their bikes up and down from there!
DeleteMe too, guess I'll have to wait for the video you'll upload when you get back to Amsterdam :-)
DeleteLol, we will try and remember to do that!
DeleteOuch on the stubbed toe. I shattered my big right toe also and the joint bone couldn't be saved so surgeon fused right big toe. The 1954 pictures brings back memories of black cars. I don't remember very many other color in cars. I was nine years old then.
ReplyDeleteKevin hasn't bothered about going to a doctor to get it checked because he figures that there is nothing that they can really do to fix it so he is just dealing with it. It looks pretty nasty but he said he will live, lol!
DeleteYes, there were definitely lots of cars back then that were just black but there were also a few coloured ones too, they just weren't so popular then.
I'd be surprised if your big toe was broken; don't think you would not have been able to walk 10K with that! I suspect it is just badly bruised/sprained, which is bad enough with as much as you like to walk. I love that you stayed in a boat; even though it wasn't the best accommodation, it is certainly one of your more interesting ones! Love, as always, the matched photos with your dad's. And the happy hour out on the boat deck at sunset: priceless!
ReplyDeleteI guess that your comment didn't get lost it just didn't show up in a timely fashion with the others but it did eventually show up. As you have now read the reason as to why Kevin didn't have any issues with our walking around Amsterdam that afternoon was because it actually happened the next morning. We have been on the so with all this traveling that Kevin just got the days mixed up as to when the accident actually happened.
DeleteIt was a fun stay it was too bad though that it was just a very noisy night with very little sleep, :-(
We were really glad that we were able to match up seven of the eight pictures that we had of Kevin's Dad's. As always it was a fun task! :-)
Glad you were able to do so much photo matching. If your toe is broken make sure it heals straight and not end up crooked like one of mine which I did in the Australian outback where a Bush nurse just buddy- taped it to the next one. Enjoy your visit with family and friends. When will you be in Albania, maybe we can meet up there?
ReplyDeleteIt was fun going around and finding those spots where Kevin's dad stood so many years ago. We were actually surprised at how little many of the photos have changed over the years. The most notable change was the Rembrandt statue and the pretty park which doesn't look nearly as pretty now but it also didn't help and there what the stage and so much else set up there at the time of our visit.
DeleteKevin is not going to go to the doctor so I am not sure that we will ever know if it is going to set straight or not. At the moment it doesn't look crooked but then again the toe is really swollen so it might be hard to notice.
We arrive in Albania on Oct. 1st and then I think we are headed to Berat right from the airport.
My comment must have gone into the ether, but I am glad you clarified about when Kevin hurt his toe, Ruth, as I had the same reaction as the others. I broke my pinky toe in Mexico, and I had a terrible amount of pain and difficulty walking for some time. Had to give up yoga classes for a few weeks, which was awful. I hate that Kevin is injured, as much as you two enjoy your walks! I also commented that I enjoyed all the matched photos, as always. You did a great job figuring out those spots. Thanks for sharing those!
ReplyDeleteWe aren't sure why your comment didn't show up earlier but it is there now, very strange!
DeleteYep, he is definitely having lots of pain and has to hobble along when he walks, it looks like it will be a while before he is able to do any decent hiking. :-(
Thanks for taking the time to comment a second time, it is frustrating when you think that a comment has gone into the internet black hole, and maybe never seen again!
Thanks Ruth! I'm glad it did finally show up; I knew I hit "Publish". I appreciate your replies and hope that Kevin's toe will heal up fast. What bad luck!
DeleteNo problem and yeah, we are hoping that it will heal fast too!
Delete