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Waterways and Bridges
Amsterdam lives up to its reputation as a city of canals and bicycles. The city sits about two metres below sea level, and is criss-crossed by waterways and bridges.
The Netherlands is known for its flat landscape punctuated by canals and dikes.
If fact, I was taught at school that dyke was a Dutch word. While it is true that dijk (pronounced ‘dyke’) is a common word in Dutch, it comes from the same Old German word that gave English ‘ditch’.
Sadly, the little Dutch boy who put his finger in a hole in a dyke to keep his town from flooding is virtually unknown in the Netherlands: this story was popularised by American author Mary Mapes Dodge and probably based on a French children’s tale, Le Petit Éclusier, first seen in the mid-1800s.
So, a few myths shattered!
And, contrary to our expectations, even though it was spring and we had seen plenty of tulips and windmills in Belgium the day before (see: Flanders Fields and Beaches), we saw none on our day’s stop in Holland.
We were on our last days on a small ocean cruiser, having come from the Mediterranean, up the Atlantic, through the English Channel and into the North Sea. Amsterdam was the penultimate stop before we departed the ship in Bergen, Norway, and we were determined to make the most of it.
Amsterdam has more than 100 km (60 mi) of canals – more than Venice – so exploring the downtown in a glass-topped canal boat is the perfect way to get a leisurely view of some of the city’s beautiful, narrow-fronted gable houses. In the Middle Ages, the city was surrounded by a moat called the Singel; this now forms the innermost horseshoe-shaped ring around the city. The Singelgracht, together with the Keizersgracht, Herengracht, and Prinsengracht, comprise the UNESCO-listed Amsterdam Canal District: designed at the end of the 16th century, built in the 17th century, and later lauded as a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering, town planning, and a rational programme of construction and bourgeois architecture.
Unfortunately, our canal boat broke down half way through our morning, leaving us stranded before we got to see some of the sights: like the Sloten Windmill made famous by Rembrandt. The timing of our rescue transport meant we missed the afternoon tour we had planned.
But, we did ride some of the canals and walked some of the tree-lined streets. Do come along!
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The National Maritime Museum
It is only fitting, in a city surrounded by water and in a country built on its ships, that the first building we pass as we bus into the city is the National Maritime Museum. Originally built in 1656, and reconstructed and modernised in 2011, the building sits on an artificial island constructed over 1800 wooden piles driven into Amsterdam Harbour. One of the many exhibits in the collection is the replica of the three masted Dutch East India Company vessel Amsterdam, which sank in 1749. (iPhone6)
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Viking Cruise Guide
Our guide escorts us from the bus to our canal boat …
Rijksmuseum
… and we chug through the 17th century UNESCO-listed canal system and past old buildings, like the 19th-century Dutch national museum dedicated to arts and history.
Layers – Canal Boat on a Canal
It was a glorious spring day and the sun shimmered through the fresh green leaves and bounced off the water. Although Amsterdam is fabled for its rainy weather, we were spared!
Amsterdam from the Canals
Classic Dutch pancakes, or pankoeken, are a popular treat.
Our Skipper
It must run in families: our skipper’s father also worked on the canal boats.
Water, Water …
The waters go on forever. Four of these canals form the UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Grachtengordel (Canal Ring) of Amsterdam, but unless I have unique buildings as reference points, I can’t remember which one we were on at any given time.
Circle Line and Bridges
This may be the land of Rembrandt, but these waterways make me think of the much later Impressionists.
Westerkerk on the Prinsengracht
The Renaissance-style Western Church was built between 1620 and 1631.
The Westertoren
At 87 meters (285 feet), the western tower is the highest church tower in Amsterdam. The crown at the top of the spire is modelled on the Imperial Crown of Austria of Maximilian I.
Dappled Light
Dutch Delft
Our boat stopped to let us explore some of the local shops.
Blond Boatman
Meanwhile, other boats and their skippers chug past us; there are countless tours running on canals.
Anne Frank House
The 17th-century canal house that reputedly hid Anne Frank during World War II was opened as a museum on 3 May 1960.
On the Bridges
Cars are discouraged in the inner city; pedestrians and bicycles abound.
With a Boat and a Map
Many tourists explore the city on their own.
Houseboat
The canals are lined with houseboats – many are residences or rentals.
Amsterdam Centraal Railway
Opened in 1889, the rambling Gothic -Renaissance Revival railway station was designed by Pierre Cuypers – the same architect responsible for the Rijksmuseum we saw earlier. I particularly liked the wind-indicator clock on the central tower.
Amsterdam Visitor Centre
The rather beautiful wooden information centre is a short walk from the railway station.
Sea Palace
On the way back to our ship, we pass a complete contrast in architecture: Europe’s first floating restaurant – the three-story floating pagoda-style Asian restaurant on Lake IJ.
Bicycles
After lunch on our ship, we walked back into the old city.
Bicycle Parking
Bicycles are everywhere! The towers of the 19th century Basilica of Saint Nicholas and the 15th century Schreierstoren sit in the background.
Recycled-Plastic Boat
Europe has always done better with waste than many other parts of the developed world: these boat on the Oostertoegang are a good example.
The Schreierstoren
Known as the Weeping Tower, this 15th tower was part of the medieval city wall around Amsterdam. It was from here that Henry Hudson set sail in 1609, eventually ‘discovering’ New Amsterdam (New York) on the Hudson River.
Red Door at the Schreierstoren
In various places around the old city, I looked at metal plaques thinking they would afford me information; they were commercial sign boards!
Kloveniersburgwal
The canals look different from the ground than they do from the water.
EYE Film Institute Netherlands (2012)
While Amsterdam is generally associated with medieval and Dutch Golden Age architecture, as our ship pulls out of the cruise terminal we catch glimpses of the city’s more modern conceptions.
Although we didn’t see as much as we would have liked, we got a brief taste of the city.
And – luckily for us – Amsterdam didn’t live up to another attribute in its reputation: it didn’t rain!
All in all, a pleasant visit.
Photos: 25April2018
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