A Little Bit of This and a Little Bit of That . .: 08/10/17

Bike Barge Trip - Amsterdam - August 2015 - Day 10

After breakfast on Wending it was time for all of us to leave the barge. Lots of wonderful people whom we probably will never see again.

Our last full day in Europe. Tomorrow we all head to different directions. We headed out to our hotel, the Grand Hotel Amrath, which is just a short walk from the dock. Since it was fairly early morning our rooms were not ready, but we were able to leave our luggage there. We decided to go and see the Maritime Museum, the staff at the hotel were recommending it and it didn't disappoint us. That place is huge. They also have a replica of an old trading ship which was really interesting to see.

National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam

Ceiling at National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam

VOC Amsterdam @ National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam

Crews toilet hanging outside the ship on VOC Amsterdam
@ National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam

VOC Amsterdam @ National Maritime Museum, Amsterdam

After lunch at Cafe Poco Loco at Nieuwmarkt area we checked out the market there. We ended up having some crepes and pancakes for desert. We walked around a little bit more and then we headed back to the hotel to see if our rooms were ready. The kids got a junior suite and we a regular room. I think they liked that little upgrade.

Lunch at Cafe Poco Loco

Crepes from a vendor at Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam

Just had to do it :), Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam

Nieuwmarkt, Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Molen de Gooyer, Amsterdam

Awful close to the edge parking, and no rails, Amsterdam

Part of the junior suite, The Grand Hotel Amrath, Amsterdam

We rested some and then went out for dinner. Ended up at the Nieuwmarkt area again and had dinner at Restaurant Gusto. Jeff had pasta prepared in a cheese wheel. It looked very interesting. They also had a resident cat who took my seat as soon as I left.

Dinner at Gusto

Resident cat at Gusto

Tomorrow we all head back to the train station. One of us is going to take a train towards Lausanne, Switzerland and the rest to the airport.

Bike Barge Trip - Kudelstaart to Amsterdam - August 2015 - Day 9

I was feeling a bit lazy today, partly because it was a rainy morning. I decided to stay on board with couple other people. While rest of the group headed out after breakfast, we sailed across Westeinderplassen Lake to Kosteverlorenvaart Canal and to Amsterdam and Ringvaart Canal. The Kosterverlorenvaart went by the Schiphol Airport. We ended up on the IJ and took that to Oosterdok where we docked right next to the Nemo Science Center.

Off they go from Kudelstraat

On Westeinderplassen Lake

Along Kosteverlorenvaart Canal. On this lock the whole road pulled in.

Along Kosteverlorenvaart Canal

Do Otter Windmill along Kosteverlorenvaart Canal

Along Ringvaart Canal, Amsterdam

Costa Fortuna, sister ship of Costa Concordia (which sank)
on the IJ, Amsterdam

After docking I decided to take a walk. I had never been to the Nemo so I went there first. I didn't go inside but climbed up the outside rooftop stairs. They have a lovely view of Amsterdam from there. Near the Nemo is the Amsterdam Maritime Museum and they have an old trading ship there. I turned towards town and went by the Rembrandt House Museum and just looked around different streets.

Nemo Science Center, Amsterdam

Rooftop of Nemo Science Center, Amsterdam

VOC Amsterdam, Maritime Museum, Amsterdam

Montelbaanstoren, Amsterdam

Rembrandt House Museum, Amsterdam

Lock keepers House, Amsterdam

Kind of dangerous stairwell for pedestrians, Amsterdam

Waiting for his master, Amsterdam

It didn't take too long for the others to come back. The weather had turned a lot better so they ended up having a nice day to bicycle anyway. After our farewell dinner our guide Teo took who ever wanted to go on a short tour of Amsterdam. I decided to stay behind and pack. We were going to stay in Amsterdam one more day and I've seem a lot of the stuff already.

Here they come, Oosterdok, Amsterdam

Farewell dinner on Wending, Amsterdam

Chef Eline and Captain Els, Wending, Amsterdam

All-rounder Peter, Wending, Amsterdam

Bike Barge Trip - Leiden to Kudelstaart- August 2015 - Day 8

Today we are heading to Kudelstaart for the night. But before starting we all went to the train station area so that the barge can start it's journey. We had couple of hours to kill in Leiden before starting and everyone went on their own way. We decided to go and check out the windmill museum at Molen De Valk, but it was closed at that hour. So we headed with our bikes towards the old part of town. Luckily Leiden is fairly small town so the riding was not too difficult or dangerous. We went to see another windmill, Molen de Put. From there we went to the Citadel or Burcht van Leiden. After that we cycled past lots of churches and nice buildings. There are also lots of buildings with poetry written all over the walls. Leiden is the city of keys so there were lots of keys all over the place.

Leiden Train Station

City of Keys. Leiden Tourism Office

Windmill Museum, Molen de Valk, Leiden

Molen de Put, Leiden

Citadel, Leiden

Harteburgkerk, Leiden

Hooglandse Kerk

Koornbrug, Leiden

Leiden

Marekerk, Leiden

Morsport, Leiden

Pieterskerk, Leiden

Poetry on a wall, Leiden

The Weigh House, Leiden

More modern buildings, Leiden

After regrouping again near the Leiden Tourism office just outside the train station we all headed out towards Warmond and a ferry over a river. These ferries are small, lots of them meant to be used by cyclists or pedestrians, no cars allowed. They are operated by one person and he/she only comes when needed.

Broerdijkmolen on the way from Leiden to Warmond

On the ferry at Warmond

After the crossing we headed towards Vennemeer Oud Ade. We had lunch there at a marina. They also had a restaurant where lots of us had something else to eat and drink too.

Lunch spot at a Marina at Oud Ade

Next place was via Rijpwetering towards Woubrugge and another ferry crossing. We had a nice stop at Ter Aar mostly because the bridge was open for a long time waiting for boats to go through the small tight canal.

Watching a sailing school in action at Rijpwetering on Wijde Aa

Rijpwetering

Our ferry arriving at Woubrugge

Waiting for the bridge to go down at Ter Aar

on a park at Ter Aar

Tonight we are staying at Kudelstaart. There is a nice little beach next to the dock. We had 3 boats tied together. Some of the kids and young adults on our barge were jumping to the lake from the barges. They still have so much energy even after riding all day. Dinner tonight was seafood.