We're cruising again, this time aboard HollandAmerica's "Zuiderdam". Consult the not-to-scale map below to see the route we'll take. Use the page buttons at the top to navigate from one area to the next.
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This page shows our trip to the Netherlands and our stay there prior to the cruise. We've been in the Netherlands several times - it's always nice to be here.
For airfare this time we used credit card points plus some cash to book Delta from JAX to BOS to AMS.. Why Delta? We despise UA, AA has poor service to AMS, British uses its hub at Heathrow (blech), Aer Lingus no longer connects nicely returning, and the others all have odd routes (like via Casablanca).
Son Bill took us to the airport. Check-in went well. We were disappointed that Delta has changed their criteria for entry to the Sky Club and we were not admitted, despite having the Delta/Amex Platinum card. We'll have to look into this.
But the A220 ride to Boston was excellent. Great airplane. Crew loves it. Boston was cool but sunny. Delta runs a shuttle from the domestic A gates to the international E gates that keeps one on the secure side, avoiding another TSA encounter. But it did take some time, having to stop for airplanes backing out.
We had lunch at Legal Sea Food for the first time in many years. We both really enjoyed the food.
The gate for our next flight was close by. We went there. Delta begins boarding the A330-300 an hour prior to takeoff. We got into our Premium Economy seats quickly then sat while the whole world walked past to the rear of the plane.
Other than successful, the flight wasn't worth mentioning.
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We arrived on time despite taxying for a loooonngg time from the farthest out runway (it's on the other side of the freeway). D had requested go-kart assistance, and it was there. Several other couples joined us. He took us to the baggage carousel then helped us manage the luggage cart to the arrivals hall. We got Euros from the ATM in the hall.
Then, we had trouble talking with the contracted taxi driver. A driver from another firm helped us to find him. He drove nicely to the house in Zandvoort where Jennecke met us. She showed us the place (nobody in it last night) and gave several hints of what to do. Nice lady. The apartment is behind the wire fence at the end of the drive for the front apartment. The red dot in the detail below is close to it.
Then we crashed. We both needed a nap. Later we went to Dirk van den Broek's grocery. Large place with everything we'll need and more. Debit card is normal payment method here. Brought the stuff back and turned on the TV - it's as bad here as in the US, but the news (of course) has the EU slant.
About 1800 CEST we went several blocks to a deep, narrow, Schnitzel place. Had good schnitzels and red wine for under 50 Euros. Lot of food for the price. Looked to be a three-person operation.
Several families with babies were eating - everybody playing pass-the-baby. Nice family place. May have to go back.
Then we returned for TV and bed around 2200 local time, ending this long day.
Next day is below the following general Notes.
(Note)
While researching the cruise terminal we were cautioned that IJmuiden is a completely different place from Amsterdam. They're some 33km apart. There's a good reason for ships departing from IJmuiden; the locks that ensure a good depth of water at Amsterdam are located inland of IJmuiden, and the cruise terminal is seaward of them - thus they can dock here without regard for the lock status.
Jennicke has arranged a car to take us there Saturday.
Google maps shows the mouth of the river area: https://www.google.com/maps/@52.461958,4.5668655,14z?entry=ttu
While researching the cruise terminal we were cautioned that IJmuiden is a completely different place from Amsterdam. They're some 33km apart. There's a good reason for ships departing from IJmuiden; the locks that ensure a good depth of water at Amsterdam are located inland of IJmuiden, and the cruise terminal is seaward of them - thus they can dock here without regard for the lock status.
Jennicke has arranged a car to take us there Saturday.
Google maps shows the mouth of the river area: https://www.google.com/maps/@52.461958,4.5668655,14z?entry=ttu
In the full-width picture of the Zandvoort beach above (looking south), the train station is 200M away to the left of the picture. It takes 30 minutes to get to Amsterdam Centraal station. Easy enough if we want to go into town for a few hours.
20240606 Thursday Zandvoort NL
Something always goes bad on a trip, so that you get a feeling of accomplishment when you've fixed it. In this case it was an iPhone charger. So I took a hike and asked a stranger for directions to a computer place. The direction led me to ElectroWorld where I bought an authentic Apple charger with EU plug. On the way back I stopped at Albert Heijn grocery to get lozenges for D. Dropped them at the apartment and continued to Dirk's to get pods for the coffee machine.
On the return trip from Dirk's it started raining, so we're in for a while. I did some updating of this missive over cups of coffee.
About 1300 the sun came out so we decided to walk a bit. We stopped first at a restaurant called The Corner for lunch. They advertise breakfast all day service. D had a three-egg-on-bread with bacon thing, I had a ham-and-cheese pancake that filled the large plate. Americano coffee. All very good, cute young waitress brought us English menus after we said "Good morning".
Then on with the walk down Haltestraat to the circle in front of the town hall. As we entered the circle (at 1400) a wedding group was ascending the steps to go into the hall. Lots of people taking pictures. Several streets radiate off the circle so we went around the circle, and up one or two side streets, to see what was there. We peeked in a few stores including HEMA. D was looking for her souvenir pin and got directions from one shop owner. We'll look there later since it's in the other direction.
About 3/5ths of the way around D suggested having a beverage. We pulled up a couple of chairs and sat in the sun, observing the motion of the town, over a Puglian red wine & local pilsner beer. While seated there, the wedding party came out and the town hall clock chimed the wedding march to cheers and more picture-taking (above, right). We continued observing some more, noting many bicycles of different configurations, a couple of regional buses, quite a few elderly seated on a long bench conversing and a speedy ambulance that blazed through.
We loafed in the sun then paid the bill and hiked back to the apartment. We debated whether to go on to the location of the pin store but our backs told us to postpone that. So we're back inside doing computer stuff.
We had several active things in mind when we scheduled this stay in Zandvoort, but it's turning out to be a change-of-time-zone slow acclimatization sort of thing. That's ok, too. We are 78 and 84, not younger folk. And as the people who board Saturday after flying overnight will see, we'll be all active and ready to cruise.
D still has a sore throat so we elected to stay warm inside. We did TV and computer games to stay amused. Rather than going out for dinner, we survived by nibbling already-on-hand things.
Jennecke knocked on the door to see how we are doing, and to introduce a moving-in tenant next door. He's from the Cologne area and here for the weekend car races.
Then some miserable TV and to bed around 2300.
Zandvoort Photos Link
20240607 Friday Zandvoort
Last day in Zandvoort, tomorrow we board Zuiderdam and begin cruising. We finally found a live-streaming webcam of the beach.
Up at 0730, light breakfast of toast, OJ, and coffee. Cleaned the counter, took out trash, etc.
Later we hiked up to the bluff overlooking the beach. Took some pictures up and down the beach. There were a few people on the sand, a few more in courtyards surrounded by glass walls. We saw a few surfers, all wearing wet suits against the cool water.
Next to the overlook there is a nice restaurant named "De Zeerover" (pirate). We had warm drinks. I had a pancake with apple, cherry and honey. D had a crepe with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Thus fortified, we strolled the beachfront with the other elderly and their dogs. There were a few others, like a gang of bicyclers and mommies taking their babies out for air.
One hearing aid died and I found I only have replacement projectors for two (now one) change. I hiked to the local apoteek to see if they carried ear supplies - no. I'll look again in Oslo and Reykjavik. (Later - I used both but made it home ok)
On the way I looked through a mens wear store - nice quality and only a little pricey. Nice quality blazer for 199 Éuros isn't all that bad.
Since it's a sunny day and the wind is not apparent on Haltestraat, many people are sitting in the sun at cafes having coffee or beer and chatting. So, after a while we walked down to the circle to sit over drinks like the natives. Sun felt good in the cool breeze. On the way back home we stopped in a Kik store and bought sweat pants I forgot. D looked all through the offerings but didn't find anything that "worked". Then home to sit until dinner.
We went to Haltestraat again, to La Fontanella. Italian food. Chianti. D had spaghetti with all sorts of sea critters, I had tagliatta carbonara, both good. Nice place, I'd be happy to go here again. Prices quite reasonable - 43.50 euro for the lot.
Then back to the apartment to pre-pack and pre-clean so we can bail out of here at 1000. That probably means we have to watch more terrible TV.
But we've certainly enjoyed our casual stay in Zandvoort.
