07/07 Our last day in Amsterdam

Our last day in Amsterdam, indeed the Netherlands. 

Rudely awoken by some elephantine idiot clomping around the walking track (directly over our cabin) at 05:45, I didn't really go back to sleep but was able to catch up on a few emails. 

Breakfast was served on our balcony and we then hit the first organised tour - back to the city to catch a water bus tour. It's an alternative way of seeing the sights, and although we'd already walked alongside many of the canals, this way, and with a professional guide, we got a different perspective. 

We jumped the tour as soon as possible, right after the water part, and set a course back to the boat, about 6km as the crow flies, but we wanted to walk via the Jordaan one last time. A leisurely walk had us back before the others and the boat was nice and quiet. 

Around 13:00 we departed the berth, heading South East through Amsterdam. Within minutes we witnessed the odd experience of the bridge descending into the deck in anticipation of low bridges. We understand sometime the entire top desk is closed, today it wasn't necessary.

In less than 30 minutes we were travelling through lush countryside as we cruised along the Amsterdam-Rhine Canal. The boat seems to run at between 6 and 8 knoys so it's a very relaxed progress, but the itinerary will get us to Cologne for lunchtime tomorrow. 

Its intersting to reflect on our now four days in Amsterdam - the Dutch are such incredibly lovely people - friendly, chatty, witty even when the seamlessly slipping into perfect English. Yet put them behind a handlebar and they become homicidal maniacs - pretty much like English cyclists on steroids - 'don't get in my way,' and 'bugger the rules of the road,' 'I'm coming through anyway,' and of course, 'that no-entry or one-way doesn't apply to me!'

After a while relaxing on the sun-deck, it was the (now) obligatory safety briefing - except it was so laid back I'm not sure anyone paid attention - certainly not the Chinese couple near us, the man was on his phone throughout, the wife didn't stop her calligraphy, as beautiful as it was! We donned life jackets, were given no explanation, and that's it - no idea what to do if the boat sinks - I guess land will be no further than 100m away anyway so swim ashore!

And on that point, how different is a river cruise - we've been 'at sea' for several hours now, but of course it's not a repetitive view over the ocean, it's an ever-changing landscape, which is quite entertaining no matter what. We have seems so many different bridges, trains, towns and the odds city, and two exciting (for me) locks in just one day, just the start of many dozens yet to come. We’ve been told 68, whereas another has said 79 so I will try and find the right answer.

Thankfully, if you've been reading serially, you will be relieved to know that dinner tonight was 1000% better than last night. In fact it's hard to even work out how they are connected to each other. Tonight we had a Captain’s Gala dinner with Salmon Tartar, Veal chop and Parfait, all very good quality, before going to watch La La Land in the swimming pool cinema!

After dinner we went to the Cinema - yes the swimming pool’s space is converted by raising the pool floor to level with the remained of the room, and sofas are brought in for the evening. Portable headphones are given out so we all have perfect sound at good volume but don't disturb near neighbours.

During the evening we passed into Germany, at 22:40 it would seem, as the messages on phones and iPads welcomed us as customers of Deutsche Telecom.