Baltic Cruise Day 19 & 20 - Amsterdam & Home
This morning started out gray, but the day cleared and we had a lovely afternoon in the city. We spent the morning floating towards Amsterdam. I packed up my clothes while we were watching a great tear jerker called, The Notebook. It was a total chick flick, but I loved it.
Our tour was set for one to four, but we ended up coming in just a few minutes before 5:30, which is when we were sailing. The cruise terminal was very nicely laid out and we were escorted to the bus. Sadly, due to Chris’s love of sitting in the back, I had a very obstructed view of the country. There was a logo over ninety percent of my window. I moved over a seat, but still couldn’t see much of anything and ended up falling asleep. This was pretty much my cue that I was vacationed out.
Our first stop was a village that had been set up as an old-time Dutch village. The people who live there rented their houses from the park service. It was lovely, but I don’t know if I’d like to have a home someplace where people tromped by every day and peeked in windows. We were told that the lovely doors and the rooms their opened into were only used for weddings and funeral. The rest of the time, the room was off limit s- hence it was okay to peek in. Still, I felt a little weird about it. I couldn’t imagine living some place and not being able to go out into your yard without a bunch of people watching you.
It was interesting to wander through the main street of the village. It had a feeling similar to Hobbiton, so green and perfectly groomed. The windmills were fun and we had a good time poking through some of the shops. After a half hour, it was back on the bus to our next stop - the tiny town of Edam.
Again, we wandered down cobblestone paths and looked at homes that were centuries old. The locals just sort of go along with the flow, but I couldn’t imagine trying to live with all this ‘company’ and foot traffic. The few cars we saw trying to weave their way through the crowds could only move a few inches at a time. How frustrating that would be for me. Of course, if this really bothered you, you could live in the new part of Edam, well away from these distractions. I suspect it takes a special sort of person to live there.
As we headed to our next stop, the tour guide told us all about the challenges of living in the country. They seem to tax everything and I found myself wondering again and again how the people here survive. The tour guide admitted that she had been born and raised here, left for seven years and then came back. She said that the taxes were nothing compared to living in the country of her birth.
We arrived at a cheese farm, where we were told how cheese was made and then we were allowed to sample a number of cheeses. This was definitely the high point. And yes, we bought some to take home. Hopefully we will be able to get it through customs in SF (we did).
We headed back to the ship, which in itself was an adventure. Chris was hoping to get to the VAT people before the ship sailed, but because we were so late they had already shut up and left. He raced on ahead with the hopes of catching them. Going through immigration (so, so happy I had my passport), there were several people looking quite frantic. They had come ashore without theirs and weren’t being allowed back on the ship. When I was coming through security, where I was very thoroughly searched (apparently I looked like a drug smuggler or something), there was a man arguing with ships security as he’d come back on board to get his wife’s and daughter’s passports and they didn’t want him to leave. Thankfully, they let him through and we sailed with all hands on board.
Dinner was Princess’s traditional farewell. As I knew there would be Baked Alaska for dessert, I just had the double consommé and Fettuccini Alfredo. Chris had a salad, cream of pumpkin soup (very heavy on the curry) and meatloaf. Then it was time for the parade of the Baked Alaskas. All the kitchen staff is allowed to come out and get a round of applause for their work in the back. The Alaskas are okay, too much meringue for me and then it was the usual dash back to the cabin to get the last bits packed up for the trip home.
Day 19 - home, sweet home.
Just a fast note to say we are back in Dover and getting ready to leave the ship and head to Heathrow. As much fun as this trip was, I’m sort of glad that we are heading home. I can’t believe that for a 2:10 flight, we had to leave the ship at 7:10, but that was our call.
We pretty much walked into the Cabaret lounge and it was time to go down to the bus. You have to claim your luggage on the way to the bus (it’s broken up into sections. We were (sigh) Pink 4. Got onto the bus for the two + hour drive to heathrow.
Chris likes to sit in the back row and made use of the empty seats by stretching out and sleeping most of the way to there airport. I quilted and watched the countryside go by.
The bus dropped us right in front of our check-in counter and we were checked in within minutes. Then we went in search of the VAT. Here Princess steered us wrong when they told us we did not need what we’d purchased. They said we only needed the receipts. Since our luggage was long gone, we were skunked on getting our VAT back. It was pretty sucky, but then and again, I don’t know if I’d have wanted to have to pack all that stuff afterwards.
We went on to the lounge and Chris was delighted to be able to connect with his work e mail after not having had access for two weeks. It gave him a chance to catch up and get some work done. Again, I quilted.
Lunchtime rolled around and we headed to a nearby restaurant for lunch. He had a hamburger and I had a ham and cheese sandwich with onion rings. We were going to be fed on the plane, so this was lunch.
Got to the gate after having walked nearly a mile and a half - honest, it was that. Anyone who’s walked within Heathrow will verify that their gates are way away from the main part of the airport. At the gate, we were checked through and found our shipmates, Ken and Cathy. We chatted as we waited for boarding. There was weather in Scotland slowing things down, so we left about fifty minutes behind schedule, but the pilot was able to make up most of it and we landed only a few minutes late.
Okay, let me just say, all that crap we went through to get the GOES cards was so worth it. While everyone else queued up, we walked to the machines, answered a few questions (like five) and it gave us a receipt which we showed and was waved through. Within five minutes, we were through Customs and on our way to baggage claim. Of course, as Chris says, this is the great equalizer as your bags come off as they will.
Still, everything arrived and we headed to BART. We had called John while waiting for our suitcases, so he knew we were in and headed home. After a less than exciting BART ride, we arrived at the station and was greeted by John. I’d never been happier to see someone.
Another forty minutes and we pulled into the parking lot. Home sweet home and not a minute too early if you ask me. We held our breath, but after they got over being spooked by the suitcases, the cats were all over us.
We unpacked a little, had something to eat and went to bed. The Big Guy went down like a rock and is still asleep nearly eight hours later. I managed a good sold three hours (more or less) and woke with both the cats cuddled up against me.
Sigh… it’s so good to be home… Dorothy was so right. There’s no place like it!
Thanks again for reading along!
Our tour was set for one to four, but we ended up coming in just a few minutes before 5:30, which is when we were sailing. The cruise terminal was very nicely laid out and we were escorted to the bus. Sadly, due to Chris’s love of sitting in the back, I had a very obstructed view of the country. There was a logo over ninety percent of my window. I moved over a seat, but still couldn’t see much of anything and ended up falling asleep. This was pretty much my cue that I was vacationed out.
Our first stop was a village that had been set up as an old-time Dutch village. The people who live there rented their houses from the park service. It was lovely, but I don’t know if I’d like to have a home someplace where people tromped by every day and peeked in windows. We were told that the lovely doors and the rooms their opened into were only used for weddings and funeral. The rest of the time, the room was off limit s- hence it was okay to peek in. Still, I felt a little weird about it. I couldn’t imagine living some place and not being able to go out into your yard without a bunch of people watching you.
It was interesting to wander through the main street of the village. It had a feeling similar to Hobbiton, so green and perfectly groomed. The windmills were fun and we had a good time poking through some of the shops. After a half hour, it was back on the bus to our next stop - the tiny town of Edam.
Again, we wandered down cobblestone paths and looked at homes that were centuries old. The locals just sort of go along with the flow, but I couldn’t imagine trying to live with all this ‘company’ and foot traffic. The few cars we saw trying to weave their way through the crowds could only move a few inches at a time. How frustrating that would be for me. Of course, if this really bothered you, you could live in the new part of Edam, well away from these distractions. I suspect it takes a special sort of person to live there.
As we headed to our next stop, the tour guide told us all about the challenges of living in the country. They seem to tax everything and I found myself wondering again and again how the people here survive. The tour guide admitted that she had been born and raised here, left for seven years and then came back. She said that the taxes were nothing compared to living in the country of her birth.
We arrived at a cheese farm, where we were told how cheese was made and then we were allowed to sample a number of cheeses. This was definitely the high point. And yes, we bought some to take home. Hopefully we will be able to get it through customs in SF (we did).
We headed back to the ship, which in itself was an adventure. Chris was hoping to get to the VAT people before the ship sailed, but because we were so late they had already shut up and left. He raced on ahead with the hopes of catching them. Going through immigration (so, so happy I had my passport), there were several people looking quite frantic. They had come ashore without theirs and weren’t being allowed back on the ship. When I was coming through security, where I was very thoroughly searched (apparently I looked like a drug smuggler or something), there was a man arguing with ships security as he’d come back on board to get his wife’s and daughter’s passports and they didn’t want him to leave. Thankfully, they let him through and we sailed with all hands on board.
Dinner was Princess’s traditional farewell. As I knew there would be Baked Alaska for dessert, I just had the double consommé and Fettuccini Alfredo. Chris had a salad, cream of pumpkin soup (very heavy on the curry) and meatloaf. Then it was time for the parade of the Baked Alaskas. All the kitchen staff is allowed to come out and get a round of applause for their work in the back. The Alaskas are okay, too much meringue for me and then it was the usual dash back to the cabin to get the last bits packed up for the trip home.
Day 19 - home, sweet home.
Just a fast note to say we are back in Dover and getting ready to leave the ship and head to Heathrow. As much fun as this trip was, I’m sort of glad that we are heading home. I can’t believe that for a 2:10 flight, we had to leave the ship at 7:10, but that was our call.
We pretty much walked into the Cabaret lounge and it was time to go down to the bus. You have to claim your luggage on the way to the bus (it’s broken up into sections. We were (sigh) Pink 4. Got onto the bus for the two + hour drive to heathrow.
Chris likes to sit in the back row and made use of the empty seats by stretching out and sleeping most of the way to there airport. I quilted and watched the countryside go by.
The bus dropped us right in front of our check-in counter and we were checked in within minutes. Then we went in search of the VAT. Here Princess steered us wrong when they told us we did not need what we’d purchased. They said we only needed the receipts. Since our luggage was long gone, we were skunked on getting our VAT back. It was pretty sucky, but then and again, I don’t know if I’d have wanted to have to pack all that stuff afterwards.
We went on to the lounge and Chris was delighted to be able to connect with his work e mail after not having had access for two weeks. It gave him a chance to catch up and get some work done. Again, I quilted.
Lunchtime rolled around and we headed to a nearby restaurant for lunch. He had a hamburger and I had a ham and cheese sandwich with onion rings. We were going to be fed on the plane, so this was lunch.
Got to the gate after having walked nearly a mile and a half - honest, it was that. Anyone who’s walked within Heathrow will verify that their gates are way away from the main part of the airport. At the gate, we were checked through and found our shipmates, Ken and Cathy. We chatted as we waited for boarding. There was weather in Scotland slowing things down, so we left about fifty minutes behind schedule, but the pilot was able to make up most of it and we landed only a few minutes late.
Okay, let me just say, all that crap we went through to get the GOES cards was so worth it. While everyone else queued up, we walked to the machines, answered a few questions (like five) and it gave us a receipt which we showed and was waved through. Within five minutes, we were through Customs and on our way to baggage claim. Of course, as Chris says, this is the great equalizer as your bags come off as they will.
Still, everything arrived and we headed to BART. We had called John while waiting for our suitcases, so he knew we were in and headed home. After a less than exciting BART ride, we arrived at the station and was greeted by John. I’d never been happier to see someone.
Another forty minutes and we pulled into the parking lot. Home sweet home and not a minute too early if you ask me. We held our breath, but after they got over being spooked by the suitcases, the cats were all over us.
We unpacked a little, had something to eat and went to bed. The Big Guy went down like a rock and is still asleep nearly eight hours later. I managed a good sold three hours (more or less) and woke with both the cats cuddled up against me.
Sigh… it’s so good to be home… Dorothy was so right. There’s no place like it!
Thanks again for reading along!