On to Amsterdam - Sep 2, 2019


It's our last morning waking up to this beautiful scene but new adventures in Amsterdam await.


Even though it's an international flight we are leaving from Heathrow terminal for instead of terminal five where we usually the part. We managed to beat the morning rush on the tube, taking a circle line train from Tower Hill station to Earls Court then transferring to the Piccadilly line for the trip to Heathrow. Luck was with us and we had seats all the way.



Linda did her usual recording of our bags and their being checked in. While our luggage is very seldom "lost", Linda likes to have a visual record to show when we fill out the forms.


First glimpse of the Netherlands. I'd been watching it at the window for some time but unfortunately the sun was on this side of the plane and none of the photos were any good. Once we made the turn for the approach to the airport, no more sun glare. It's unreal how scratched up the windows on aircraft can get.


From the airport we took the train to the Amsterdam Zuid station which was less than five minutes from our hotel.


As always, it takes us a few minutes to put things in perspective. If you think silent electric cars are a problem, you should travel to the Netherlands where bikes by the bazillion silently whisk up on you until you remember to always look everywhere when walking.


Our hotel room. We stayed at this chain before and love all the automation of everything. There is an iPad that you use to control virtually everything in the room. It took us a few minutes to remember how everything worked but soon setting the mood wasn't simple as pushing a button on the screen.


Talk about setting the mood, this is one happy lady. Look at the size of that gin and tonic. And yes we will definitely be back here again.


At the end of the day of travel a big meal as last thing we want and our falafel burgers and fries to die for made us to very happy campers. Yesterday I said we'd be sad to leave London, but I must say that today we are happy to be in Amsterdam. And just to forewarn you, you're going to be fairly busy for the next couple of days so I might be a little late in posting.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Around the World in 128 Days - Arrival at Ft. Lauderdale and back home again

Image
  The Cruise is Over - May 11, 2024 - 5,904 Steps It was over months ago we walked out to this same spot shortly after we boarded the ship. Then it was a glorious and joyous afternoon, today it was a glorious but sad morning.  Instead of watching to see if could recognize our luggage being loaded aboard the Zuiderdam, it was watching to see if we could spot it being off loaded. The lineup of trucks bringing provisions for the next sailing that would be leaving a few hours. Trucks were lined up in the far distance awaiting their turn to unload. Port Everglades is a very busy cruise ship terminal. There was a staggering amount of food to be loaded onto the ship. A pallet of apples. A last look at the old home place that served us so well for the past mounts. Literally shutting the door on one of the most awesome adventures we have ever been on. But the fall of next year we will be opening the door on an another one. We patiently waited for our group, Gray 1, to be called. The luggage for
Read more

Around the world in 128 Days - San Juan, Puerto Rico

Image
  Travel Day 126 - May 8, 2024 - 7,666 Steps Joe and Patrick our room stewards who have gone way beyond and above to not only keep our room in perfect conditions, but also have a great sense of humor. If it looks familiar it's because it the same one I recently read. I mentioned to Linda I thought she would enjoy reading it, and she did. You never know how things like this are going to turn out. It proved to be great from original songs, standup comedians, dancing, musical instruments. There's talent hidden amongst the ship's passengers. It took a while after Jose And Grace were transferred  from the Lido, but in the opposite corner of the Lido we found Lisna, who was every bit as awesome as they were. David's history presentation, proving once again that only a tiny bit of history is about names and dates like we were taught in high school. A cartoon from several centuries ago portraying the effects of consuming too much sugar on the King of England. And it is a slight
Read more

Around the World in 128 Days - A Big Celebration on the Last Day at Sea

Image
  Travel Day 128 - May 10, 2024 - 6,604 Steps Today is luggage day, so the elevators were busy all day. A good many boxes were also going back. After 127 days it was time to say goodbye and celebrate the end of the around the world adventure. It was also a day for the last presentations. Ted used his to talk about the woman who discovered the method used to determine the age and size of the universe. Of the 9 brightest stars in the sky, 7 of them are further away from us than Sirius, the brightest one. To answer the question, it's no different than Russia has been for centuries. The communists are no different than the Czars of the past. Only the most ruthless get the top job. Ivan the Terrible would say, Well done Vlad. Our last Happy Hour in the Crow's Nest Life is more than good, it is fantastic. Going out in style tonight. I wonder how many dozen macadamia nut cookies I devoured during the cruise? It's one of those mysteries of the universe that will never be answered.
Read more