This morning at the early hour of 6ish, we went down for breakfast and then boarded the beautiful Mercedes-Benz Insight touring bus. Our fearless guide, Bob, was born in Amsterdam so we are all in good hands.
We drove on our way to Volendam where they make cheese and clogs (wooden shoes). We got to sample every cheese they make (13 of them) and Don tried each and every one. I must be married to a mouse.
We loaded the bus again and drove on to Amsterdam. We stopped in a small `town`on the Zuider Zee for lunch and an ice cream. Back on the bus to Gassan, to view Diamond cutting and polishing of cut diamonds.
The hotel we are staying in is very modern (almost stark) but clean and the breakfast was good.
The sun has come out now and we are getting ready for our canal cruise, dinner in a historic Dutch restaurant and finish our day with a stroll through the red light district.
The canal cruise was fabulous, showing all the canals. We were told Amsterdam has more canals than Venice. Wonderful time.
Bob tells us it would like going to Pisa and not seeing the tower. .
I tried to come back and tell you about the lovely restaurant we dined in. It was ONLY since 1500. The ham and goat cheese Lucille and I started with the magnificent, followed (FOR ME) Salmon with lobster sauce, on a bed of mashed potatoes, carrots and finished with a cinnamon ice cream with raisins and brandy sauce. Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah.
Don and Lucille had the roast pork on a bed of mashed potatoes and green beans Lucille had the Crème Brulee.
We then went on our walk through the red light district. It is a real culture shock and, I must admit, unsettling for me. I didn’t think I was a prude but…….Also the smell of the drugs would make a normal person high. It is legal here and without sounding like I am giving a sermon, the sights we saw would make a parent cry. Wasted kids by the hundreds.
