Iconic Viking Shores and Grand Fjords: Amsterdam

Due to the aftereffects of Hurricane Erin, our ship sailed directly from Oslo to Amsterdam, bypassing the port of Skagen, Denmark. We were disappointed to miss Denmark, especially because we had also missed Copenhagen on a prior trip. The silver lining, however, is that we arrived in Amsterdam a day early and had an extra day to experience this vibrant city. Our sail-in was quite spectacular as we went through the Ijmuiden Sea Locks, the largest sea lock in the world.

Our first day in Amsterdam was a Saturday, and we soon learned that everything in this vibrant city is amplified on the weekends! Families with multiple kids on bikes, bachelorette parties out on the town, canal boats with music blasting and passengers in costumes, cannabis wafting through the narrow side streets, plus the addition of several cruise ships and river boats made for a festive, if not frenetic scene!

Amsterdam is literally built on water. There are 62 miles of gratchen (canals), 90 islands and 1500 bridges.

Bikes in all shapes and sizes zip around, barely paying attention to traffic lights and crosswalks. We learned that the Netherlands has a population of 17 million with 22 million bikes and 21,478 miles of cycle paths (not to mention riding on just about every other flat surface!) The average Dutch person cycles 620 miles per year. And some 20,000 bikes are fished out of Amsterdam canals annually.

I was excited to have three full days to search for gevel stenen, colorful carved facade stones that decorated canal-side homes long ago. The stones date back to a period when houses were identified by signs  rather than street numbers. The stone signs often illustrated the owner’s profession, name or faith. Some were simply whimsical such as De Groot Kies (The Big Tooth) or De Drie Swarte Molle (The Three Black Moles.) More than 750 facade stones have survived, with many in museums. In three days of looking, I found only ONE!

During two previous visits to Amsterdam, we had been disappointed to be unable to get tickets to the Anne Frank House. Our third time was the charm! Although photos are prohibited inside the museum, we had a truly moving, memorable visit. It was made even more so having visited Auschwitz and Birkenau last year.

With the huge number of ornate church buildings fitting the Amsterdam skyline, one might mistakenly think that the Dutch are a deeply religious people. Our guide, however, dispelled that thought when he told us that recent survey data shows that 57% have no religious affiliation at all. The churche buildings are relics to a Catholic-dominated past. The revolt of the Calvinist Northern Netherlands against the Catholic Spanish Habsburgs began in 1568, and Amsterdam joined William of Orange in a peaceful revolution in 1578. Known as the Alteration, this revolt led to Amsterdam becoming the Protestant capital of the Dutch Republic. Most of the religious artifacts from the churches were removed. Today the buildings are used as event spaces and museums.

Since Catholics were no longer allowed to worship in public from 1633-1887, clandestine home churches became commonplace. Contrasting sharply with its shabby surroundings in the Red Light District, Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder (Our Lord in the Attic) is a rare, perfectly preserved example.

Since the severe housing shortage after the end of WWII, some 2,500 houseboats have called Amsterdam “home.” They are linked to the city’s power and water systems, and sewage is pumped into an onshore facility.

No story about Amsterdam would be complete without a mention of the Red Light District. Tucked into the city’s Oude Zijde (Old Side), the world’s oldest profession has become one of the city’s greatest tourist attractions. City Council has confined window-prostitutes to two main areas and photos of the women are not permitted. Other related businesses surround the area

Three days in Amsterdam barely scratched the surface. I guess we’ll have to visit again!  This will be the fifth and final post from our Iconic Viking Shores and Grand Fjords cruise. We spent 40 days exploring the far north, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, crossing the Arctic Circle, Norway and Amsterdam. We reveled in the grand scenery, delicious food and gracious hospitality. But all good things must come to an end, and so does this chapter for the Timeless Travelers. Thanks for coming along and stay tuned for what’s next!