Cruises

Taking a one-hour canal cruise in Amsterdam is worth every one of the 11 euros. Starting from the Central Station landings, these cruises are so popular they’re every half-hour to cater for the crowds. So, I suggest you get there at a time when you are one of the first on for if you prefer to face in the direction you’re going as the seating is arranged facing each and late comers tend to be looking where you have been, or just looking at you!

The boat first heads out into the harbour and sitting low in the water you instantly get a different perspective of this water-based city.

The commentary is in three languages, Dutch, English and I’m not sure what the third is as my interest immediately focussed on the English directive. The information is clear and gives a warning of what is ahead to see and if it’s on the left or right. Initially it seems you have chosen the wrong side as all the points of interest are on the other side, but after a while things seem to even out. Not that you can’t see anything on your ‘other side’, it’s just that it’s through wavering heads vying for the best angle.

The first piece of surprising news is that the water in the harbour is not salty but fresh due to the locks, meaning there is no tidal rise or fall, adding great benefit to shipping. The other startling fact is that of all the canals and waterways, there is only one natural watercourse, the Amstel River, which in the eleventh century was dammed giving rise to the name Amsterdam. All the canals are man-made with digging commencing in 1380. The houses are anchored on pylons sunk 20-30 metres through marsh and into the stable sand basin making viewing the city from the water line a must. Most are wooden, with concrete introduced in recent times, and if kept free from contamination and air, will keep on holding up the tall building for many years to come.

But taking photos from this low vantage point can be a bit of a problem when most points of interest are up there, the houses that line the canals. The roofs of the cruise boats are probably Perspex as they are quite scoured and hinder a clear photograph. The side windows are clearer but you do get reflections from within the boat and depending on the time of day, sun glare.

But apart from this, the views are an insight into the city below the streets, the structure of the waterways and the beauty the city owes to its canals.

After the long haul from Melbourne, the tiring wanderings around stations, the struggle with luggage on trains and the eye-drooping wait for my ferry to come in, I was so ready for a bed and sleep, so finally the call to board was like a tonic that woke the senses.

The terminal to ship walkway at Harwich is still under construction so the meagre handful of waiting passengers are loaded onto a bus for delivery to the ferry. This is the first time I get a glimpse of the size of this thing, huge. I sailed to England in the 60’s on the Fairstar and I’d say it was just as big. Now, being a ferry that means it takes cars and trucks, so or bus followed the road up the ramp and into the bowels of this yawning whale. Out of bus and into a lift to take us to the eighth deck, out of ten, I think it was.

The small reception seemed inadequate for the size of the ship, but we were shown the way to our cabins and I rushed to rid myself of my luggage and unwind in my own space. We are handed a menu for dinner being served in the restaurant and for 12 euro there is a three-course on offer.

Not to miss out on what else this vessel has to offer, I quickly dumped the bags, a quick wash to freshen up the eyes and headed south to the next deck down. Here is the pumping heart of the floating village. There, spread over most of the deck is a restaurant, large duty-free shop, a bar, another food hall and for those with foreign money to get rid of, slot machines and gambling tables. If you are not in any hurry to kip there is also a full-sized cinema.

Checking out the restaurant, I opted for a cheaper range of food from food hall situated among the bar and gambling tables. Not a lot to choose from but ample. They took Pound and Euro, so I got rid of some English money. The number of passengers seemed larger as I realised that for every truck and car there is also a driver, but not being in holiday season, it was relatively empty. A Heineken at the bar went down so well I decided I like beer again, but this moment of relaxation reminded me that sleep was needed so I gave up the foreign film and headed back to my cabin.

The cabin has two bunks. I opted for the lower one just in case we come across rough weather and it allowed a better view out the window, yes, more a window than a porthole. It was dark of course at midnight as the ferry set sail. Unless you heard the revving of the engine you would not have guessed. But yes I can see the lights of the harbour passing by, so after a quick brush of the teeth, I turned the lights out and watched till the ship was out of the harbour and on the high sea, as smooth as can be.

The next thing I new was being woken by a loud voice over the cabin phone reminding everyone to get up, breakfast is served in the food hall and to get off the boat by 7.45. Obeying orders, I quickly showered, ate and left the ship behind.

I was now on Dutch soil.