Sunday 1 July 2012 - Returning to Amsterdam
Day 79 and 80 to go
Another early start on the cards as we had 2 hours of
driving ahead of us and had to have the hire car back by 10am. We were our of
bed by 7.15am and getting ourselves organised.
We packed up the car with our bags and then went and had breakfast just
before 8am. We returned to the room to grab the last of our things and then we
were on the road heading back through pretty little villages before making it
to the motorway and cruising into Amsterdam.
Our cruise finished an hour later at 12.30pm. We then
wandered back towards the hotel dodging the crowds that were beginning to fill
the city. We stopped at a little Italian restaurant for a pasta lunch. I
watched a strange man walk down the street with a tall tomato plant in a pot
being balanced on his head. Paul didn’t believe me, but you do see strange
things in Amsterdam!
We continued our wander down the shopping streets before
weaving our way back to Rokin. We stopped to buy a few drinks before heading
back to our room. We had a rest watching the European Athletics Championships
and I worked on the computer, loading pictures and working out bits for
tomorrows trip to Frankfurt. Paul was tired so he had a sleep before we thought
about heading out again.
Again it was a super easy drive even with having to navigate
the trams and cyclists. We returned the car 10 min early and with no problems
we were sent on our way that meant dragging the bag to the closest tram stop
200m away. The tram arrived straight away and we moved on 4 stops before
getting off again and having to drag our bags through the quiet streets 400m to
our hotel on Rokin Street.
We checked in and were fortunate enough to be given a road
straight away yippee. We were on the 3rd floor again but this time
there was a lift so we didn’t have to hike it up the stairs thankfully. We
unloaded in the room and decided what we would do and then we were back out on
the street heading to a discount ticket office. We bought tickets for the canal
boat ride and the Ice Bar.
Paul and I then went to the Church stopping to check the
view from the first floor before heading towards Central Train Station and our
boat ride.
We located the carrier Lovers and boarded the boat before we
were moving along the canal and behind the station. There was a running
commentary about the different areas and buildings we passed. The canals were
quite busy with other craft out enjoying the Sunday. We had a good time
cruising slowly amongst the streets and old buildings. It is a different view
from the water.
With lunch finished we walked back towards the hotel room
stopping next door at the brewery so Paul could sample their beer.
When we made it to our room we had a rest. I spoke to Dad and Brad on Skype text before we left the
hotel again at 2.30 in search of the Ice Bar. We came out into the rain
unfortunately but we had to keep walking. We made our way to the bar just as
the rain stopped. We checked in then waited for our turn to enter the small
frozen bar.
We had to wear warm poncho type jackets and gloves, it made
us feel like Eskimo rappers! We spent the following half hour in the small ice
room where we danced around to Ice Ice Baby and You’re As Cold As Ice while
drinking beer and vodka & cranberry out of glasses made of ice. We watched
a brief 3D movie then had our photo taken in an ice chair and behind the ice
bar.
We then left the -10c room bought one of the photos as a
souvenir and then wandered along the flower market checking out the various
tulip bulbs that I wished I could bring home. Paul stopped at a herring vendor
for a portion of the fish.
At 7 we took out our cases and did some rearranging ready
for tomorrow’s flight. We then got ourselves dressed and went for a walk. We
found a small Spanish restaurant to eat at where I had delicious Charcoal
chicken and Paul had calamari. The soccer was just beginning with it’s pre-match
entertainment so we finished up and moved to the Irish pub just a few doors
down where we found a seat to watch the first half between Italy and Spain. The
place was quite busy filled with many American’s and Canadian’s. The pub even
had its own cat that decided to sit at our table for a bit where it could stare
at the cat in the shop across the street.
It was very amusing.
Unfortunately the first half did not go well for the
Italians with Spain successfully slotting away 2 goals. At the end of the half
we decided to head back to the hotel, stopping to buy a couple of beers on our
way and then sitting back and enjoying the second half in our own space.
It wasn’t any more enjoyable score wise as Torres came on to
score another for Spain
and then assisted in another shortly after. It was all over 4 - 0 to Spain.
View Larger Map
No comments:
Post a Comment