Med and Baltic cruise 2012: Amsterdam, The Netherlands May 21, 2012

It's my birthday today and we had booked an all day excursion titled Grand Holland. We were notified two days before that it was cancelled due to lack of interest. I was really bummed! So we booked a different one. The day before we arrived it, too was cancelled. We did the only thing good travelers do...we hopped a train and went out on our own. I have to admit I didn't have the best attitude starting out. I was a baby actually. I really wanted to see windmills and all things Dutch.

We started out for the big train station and I was happy to see great buildings in the big square. We caught a tram and walked to the Van Gogh Museum. No pictures because I really didn't want to break the rules. We had an hour and a half before we were to board a canal cruise and it was hard leaving the museum. Beautiful! Best of all we all learned how to say Van "Ghalk" not like we have all been taught. Ha!

Terry is still sick but keeping up with us. We are waiting for the captain to take a canal cruise. There are about 300 bridges in Amsterdam and many canals. It was fun seeing the city this way.

This is an amazing bike garage for the thousands of bikes in the city. !! So cool! Kathie spotted it and I barely had time to get the shot.

We turned onto the canal where Anne Frank's house is located.

I wonder how they close these?


Took this for my architect brother, Rick. Could use it in his "Ugly Houses"			coffee table book. ha!

Now this is pretty....different...interesting...OK, weird. I think it's the Performing art center? This is why it's better to blog each day. The internet connection made that impossible but I should have updated my notes.

Headed back to the ship through the train station. Did a little shopping.

My Van Gogh treasures. Can't wait to frame these.

We are on the ship and heading to the "locks". The countryside is pretty.

Kathie bought a beautiful rose for my birthday!

Happy Birthday to me! So blessed to spend it in Amsterdam and with Terry and Kathie!

Jeff surprised me with a beautiful diamond necklace. The best part is him telling me he got it 40% off and used a coupon! Yes! Training has paid off. ha!

While we are enjoying my birthday dinner at Pinnacle Grill the ship was heading through the locks. Apparently this is a very big deal to locals as they were lining the docks and running with cameras.

Our waiter wanted to make the dinner extra special for the birthday celebration.

Jeff had flowers delivered for dinner but due to a little mess up I got extra ones in the cabin. Got to share these with Terry and Kathie. Nice touch! We all know how much I love flowers.

The "ship passing through the locks" entertainment continues outside the window of my birthday party. ha! This was highly entertaining for me.

I hardly ate this! Way too much food.

The next two pictures even had the wait staff heading to the window to catch this event. The Dutch pilot, who has a safety harness on, leaps onto the pilot boat. As you can see both ships are moving.