Amsterdam Continued

After the Anne Frank House, we walked along the canals to a brighter part of Amsterdam; the world famous flower market. Here, you could buy giant amaryllis, tiny crocus, any color of hyacinth you could imagine, and the tulips… oh the tulips!!!! Vendor after vendor watched after his crates of bulbs and made sure curious tourists heeded the “do not touch” signs. Once you pick up a bulb, it is impossible to tell what crate to put it back in if you did not pay close attention, causing a scandal in spring when there’s a black tulip among someone’s royal blues.

Across the street from the flower market was another corner of heaven - a row of cheese shops. Ladies in traditional Dutch clothing worked the cash registers and gave their best advice on all things cheese. Popular kinds were gouda, goat, smoked, and any of the above with the addition of herbs; all of which you could (and I did!) sample.

I would not be doing Amsterdam justice if I didn’t note one of the unique smells permeating the streets; pot. While I avoided walking through the red light district, I still got a nosefull passing by special “cafes” - even at 10 in the morning! Marijuana is legal here, as is prostitution. My tour guide reasoned, “This way, at least the government can control it.”

Our ship docked overnight in Amsterdam, so the next day I was able to take a proper tour of the countryside. The fields we passed were divided not by fences, but by ditches of water that cut the earth into long rectangles. First, we stopped at a cheese factory called “Henri Willig, Natuurlijk Meer Smaak”. My favorite part of this tour was the friendly goats in the front yard. After they realized I had no treats for them, all they wanted were their ears scratched. Then, we walked through the town of Edam (also known for its cheese). This town had the most beautiful houses and gardens sitting along the canal - and each house had its own boat. The last part of our tour brought us to a windmill farm. I went inside one of the windmills and saw two 3000 kg stones rolling in circles off an axel that turned with the windmill blades. The stones are used to grind chalk for lines in football fields, pastel crayons, and linoleum flooring. Oh the things you learn...

Next up, the white cliffs of Dover... sing it, Vera Lynn!