A week in Amsterdam

Friday 20 Jan 12 took the train from Canterbury to London via Faversham and Chatham because the normal service wasn't running.  The trip took about 2 hours but the weather was poor so I was happy to relax. On the way chatted to a couple of Americans who come to Canterbury regularly. Conveniently the train took me to Waterloo station opposite the Union Jack Club so I only had to walk 100meters to the front door.  After dropping my bags off I walked into London for lunch at the Trafalgar pub but returned soon after to accommodation because of rain.

Saturday 21 Jan 12 departed by 08:00 by taxi to St Pancras International for the fast train to Brussels and then onto Amsterdam where friend Titia Royackers was waiting on the station. The train trip is quite an experience and puts train travel in Australia to shame.

Friend Titia and daughter Emma

Sunday 22 Jan to Friday 27 Jan 12. What a week and it went so fast!  Firstly on Sunday I had a lovely lunch with Bas and Tinike de Vet.  The last time that we met was on the flight from Madrid to Singapore after my 2008 Camino, and since we have stayed in contact by email. Over the following days there was plenty of opportunity to explore the antique and antiquarian book shops or visit the many places of interest.  Titia and I went to the Anne Frank house on Monday but I found the experience dissapointing because the front of the building is modern and new and the rooms are empty of furniture and belongings so you don`t really get a connection with the people who lived there.  On Thursday, the only day that it rained, I had lunch with my aunt Louise and cousins Rob and Jan-Willem. After lunch there was a visit to the Dutch palace which may not be as fancy as Buckingham palace but all the same very nice and historical and the place that Napoleon stayed when in Holland.  The rooms retain the original furniture and continue to be used for heads of state visits.

Palace Interior

Other visits included the Amsterdam Maritime Museum which includes the sailing ship Amsterdam a 1700 Dutch East India company replica and Amsterdam Historical Museum where they have such interesting bits as 11th century shoes, found in the mud, on display.  The quantity of fine art by the great masters is overwhelming.