March, 2016
One of the reasons
operating a B&B remains interesting after almost eight years is that each
new guest brings a new story.
Early March is still usually pretty quiet on Cape Cod, but we got a last
minute call from a couple of avid bird watchers this month who had heard that a
very rare Yellow Billed Loon had been sighted in Provincetown and they wanted to
come down for the weekend to try their luck spotting it. We were happy for them that they did
manage to see the bird and that we could introduce them to the Orleans
Birdwatchers General Store, a must for any serious birder. The birds confirm that Spring is here,
now. We’ve already heard the first
tweedle-scree of the Red Winged
Blackbirds and Orioles have been reported for the last month near Hyannis
feeders. But wait, you were
expecting a report about Amsterdam, which just happens to have a bird story in
it, too. Here we go:
PART IV-AMSTERDAM
DAY 9 – London to Amsterdam
By the time we’d rolled our
luggage along the cobblestoned streets to the Underground station, got down the
stairs, and made it to the mammoth London Heathrow airport, my tired giddy-up was
stuck in first gear. We slowly
made it to security and our gate.
Since it was a short flight, Ron had booked us economy class this time
and while we waited for our flight to be called, I wandered down to a bookstore
we’d passed. Having finished the
book I’d brought with me, I was hoping to find something interesting to read on
the rest of the trip. My eyes lit
on The Danish Girl and since I’d given up on seeing the movie anytime soon, it
was a quick sale. Having survived
two flights without incident, I was feeling pretty calm about this third
one. It was a Friday, and the
flight was packed with boisterous weekend revelers who had already started
partying, which set a festive air.
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| Amsterdam Central Station |
From Schiphol Airport, we
found the train to the Amsterdam Central Station and once again had to figure
out how to get tram cards to use for the few days we would be there. Following our Airbnb host’s good
instructions, we found her apartment in the Oud West neighborhood. Her building was across the street from
a lovely park with tall trees that reached well past her balcony. Because each floor in the building is
so high, it took three long flights just to get to the second floor, definitely easier
without the luggage. This
host rents her apartment out when she travels, so we knew there would be a
friend waiting for us to give us keys and show us around. Part of the deal is that we would be
responsible for feeding her cat while we were there, and we were quickly
introduced to Bino, a large black and white cat who was totally unfazed by our
sudden appearance. By this time, we were all pretty worn out and Doug was coming
down with a cold, so we settled in for a quiet evening, admiring our beautiful
and spacious Amsterdam digs and getting some much needed cat love.
DAY 10, Saturday
Ron and I had a couple of destinations in mind, but Doug, who was now in
full chest cold mode, chose to take advantage of the washer and rest up a
little. Earlier, I promised
you a bird story and this was the morning for it. Bino had a little footstool that he liked to sit on next to
the glass doors that looked out over the park. Sipping our morning coffee, we noticed a lot of activity in
the tall trees outside the terrace that also had Bino’s attention. Always on the lookout for a new and
unusual bird, I moved closer to see a very green one with a long tail that
looked like someone’s parrot had gotten loose. But then, it was joined by two others. By the time I grabbed my camera, there
was a whole tree full of them. I
couldn’t wait to send a shot of our exotic bird to Mike at the Orleans Bird
Watchers General Store. We watched
as Bino had a little conversation with his bird buddies, who obviously visit on
a regular basis. I googled “green
birds in Amsterdam” and found that these were called “Rose-ringed
Parakeets”. It’s thought that in
1976, an owner released the tropical birds and they have managed to flourish in
Amsterdam’s urban Vondelpark, living in old trees with nest holes and having
their food supply supplemented by park-goers and neighbors. It was a wonderful surprise.
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| Bino & Friend |
Our first visit was to de Poezenboot Catboat. Ron discovered it on a previous trip, but it had been closed
when we tried to visit it on our last trip. This would be the only day it was open while we would be in
Amsterdam, so it was our first stop.
It’s a floating animal sanctuary that has become a world-famous tourist
attraction. It started in 1966
when a woman named Henriette van Weelde, who was known as “the cat lady”, ran
out of space for stray cats at her home and decided that if people lived in
houseboats on the Singel canal, so could cats. She first bought an old, Dutch sailing barge and had it
stripped down to accommodate the cats.
When that one filled up, she bought another. The first boat eventually had to be replaced, and luckily
there were now many volunteers to help care for the cats. In 1987,
Henriette registered as a charity and created “The Cat Boat Foundation”. It’s now a non-profit organization
supported by donors. All of the
cats are given a check-up by a veterinarian, vaccinated, micro chipped and
neutered, then an attempt is made to find them homes.
Our next destination was the Riksmuseum, which we didn’t get to see on
our last trip when we ran out of time, and we didn't see it this time, either.
We took so much time with the cats and finding our way there, the
only time we had left was for a quick visit to the gift shop before the museum
closed. But, the
neighborhoods make strolling interesting and we enjoyed the
trip. We made our way back to the
apartment to get Doug and look for some dinner. Finding one of the recommended restaurants, we learned that a reservation was
needed. So, that’s how we ended
up eating dinner in a Mexican restaurant in Amsterdam. It was open, we were hungry and they
didn’t require a reservation.
Done, and it was delicious.
DAY 11 – Sunday
Ron had only allotted three nights in Amsterdam, so we wanted to make
the most of our last day. Getting into the spirit of Amsterdam, the three of us went to the Sex Museum. Their vast collection in every possible
art form portrays the history of the act which is responsible for us all. The emphasis is on the way things used
to be, as shown by the different art and memorabilia. Would it be presumptuous to say there was something of
interest for everyone? Okay, I’ll
choose my photo carefully.
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| Here's a tame one. |
From there we headed towards Dam Square, which is the
historical center of Amsterdam and a popular tourist spot. On one side there is the massive Royal
Palace, which once served as the City Hall. On our first trip to Amsterdam in 2012, we just happened to
arrive on the day after Queen’s Day, “Koninginnedag”, which celebrates the
queen’s birthday, and the square was full of carnival rides and the streets
littered with cheap orange wigs and fast food remnants. Queen Beatrix was a real party-girl,
but it was all cleaned up by the next day. She has since abdicated the throne on her 75th
birthday to her oldest son, Willem Alexander, who became the King of the
Netherlands. There was no party this
day, but there are always horse-drawn carriages and lots going on. In the center is a National Monument, which
memorializes the victims of World War II, and it’s a popular meeting place to
see and be seen. Opposite
the palace is the Grand Hotel Krasnapolsky, where we’d stayed on our last
trip. It is certainly posh and in
a great location, but we found it a little generic for our tastes and wanted to
find something less grand and more colorful. Catty-corner to the hotel was my favorite souvenir shop, and
the boys indulged me while I found some small items to remind me of our time in
Amsterdam.
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| Dam Square |
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| The Leaning Houses |
A visit to Amsterdam is not
complete without an evening walk through the Red Light District. For those who are inclined,
prostitution is legal and this is the place to find whatever you’re looking for
displayed seductively behind windows.
But, many people come to this area because it is known to be a very safe
place to walk and visit bistros, bars and shops. The night lights on the canals are breathtaking and every
night’s a big party. We
found a place to eat, made a quick cookie run at the Albert Henjk neighborhood
grocery and turned in to rest up for the next leg of our trip.
Next stop, Paris. Here's your teaser:
Click on: https://youtu.be/CboBqfSK3s4
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| Red Light District |
Click on: https://youtu.be/CboBqfSK3s4
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