Bimmer 09 sails APEX to Iceland June 2023

[What A Market]

Bimmer09

Thanks for all the time and effort you put into this thread.

We are boarding Apex for the July 31st sailing from Rotterdam.

This will be our third time on the Apex, but first time on her for a European cruise.

Can’t wait!

 

[Walt fan]

Thank you so much for the wonderful review! I will be following along on your adventures in Amsterdam. It will be interesting to see what you choose for Turkey/Greece area; I find the Oceania cruise prices so confusing; and I am still trying to see if Azamara is still a good fit; I know they are going through changes; I have read little about Cunard; I will also have you marked for your Panama Canal cruise! 

[Bimmer09]

31 minutes ago, Walt fan said:

Thank you so much for the wonderful review! I will be following along on your adventures in Amsterdam. It will be interesting to see what you choose for Turkey/Greece area; I find the Oceania cruise prices so confusing; and I am still trying to see if Azamara is still a good fit; I know they are going through changes; I have read little about Cunard; I will also have you marked for your Panama Canal cruise! 

We have just spent about 2 hours on line regarding Panama Canal this December-looking at X but no holiday cruise to Panama Canal as Cruise Finder App believed . Also spent time on HAL but finally went back to Princess and booked the only aft suite available for $2K over our mini-suite price. We are Elite on Princess so get some more perks. If the MDR is poor as it was on the Diamond at Christmas we'll eat in the specialty restaurants. We already get to have a quiet breakfast in Sabatini's .

I have the suite on hold for 4 days and just have to cancel the mini online. 

Oceania doubles the true price then offers you 50% off. Simple retail sleight of hand. 

Turkey/Greece is for October 2024 so still working on that.That time suck has kept me away from Amsterdam this morning.

Thanks for sticking around!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

We'd already scouted out the primo spot for relaxing and people-watching. So we went there to enjoy the river patio of Cafe de Jaren

 

Big smiles from the waitstaff who recognized us from before.

Beer never tasted so sweet. We're in our Happy Place and the weather is perfect-warm and overcast so no blinding sun to hide from. We'll spend nearly 3 hours here.

 

Carol's ham and cheese (Beemster-Dutch) sandwich and fruit smoothie

 

Ham and cheese croissant for me ($8)

 

Plus to share-an order of the best crispiest fries

 

Amsterdam has a lot of stores that just sell fries and have people lining up. They have a lot of toppings for them to offer. Stores like Chipsy King, Manneken Pis. Toppings include paprika, peanut sauce, mayo, red pepper sauce.

Anything you ask the waiters for here the response is  "of course" or "no worries/problem" . So relaxed. No loud talkers. No bros letting everyone know they've arrived. Calm and relaxed is the Amsterdam vibe.

 

We eventually move on. Carol has free ticket to the Van Gogh museum and I am really tired and go back to the hotel for a nap. I sleep for 6 hours. Carol comes back from the museum after a couple of hours, having mastered the tram system to get there. She napped for 4 hours. I didn't feel rested when I woke. Was feeling under par.

Regardless at some point we have to go forage for dinner...

[Bimmer09]

We woke at 8 after the napping and headed out soon after to eat. Carol hadn't yet visited Rembrandt Square and as I knew it had a lot of casual restaurants with outdoor dining I suggested we take the 10 to 12 minute walk there. That was the theory but we dawdled as there was so much new stuff to show Carol in the streets on the far side of the Amstel. The light was fading.

 

 

 

 

FEBO is a chain of Automats where you put your money in and get hot snacks out.

 

 

Rembrandt Square restaurants

We ate at a little joint called Snob closest to the canal in the distance. It was quieter there and not so busy as they close early. Some of the places here stay open until midnight or 1 a.m.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had Snob almost to ourselves and had a 32Euro spend. Just basic food and beer.

Good friendly service as we usually found.

 

for Carol a cheeseburger and fries

 

For me-a local delicacy and most popular bar snack-Bitterballen. A crispy batter with mashed potato mixed with a really savory gravy inside. Super yummy! With mustard.

 

We shared the crispy fries

 

Snob after the cleanup as we left

 

The square is a magnet for outdoor diners, lively and safe as everywhere in Amsterdam seemed to be. We walked home on quiet safe streets. In the 4 days we stayed in Amsterdam we heard just one siren-an ambulance. No high speed Police Cars- just  slowly patrolling.

We were back in the hotel by 11.

[perfect match]

11 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

We eventually move on. Carol has free ticket to the Van Gogh museum and I am really tired and go back to the hotel for a nap. I sleep for 6 hours. Carol comes back from the museum after a couple of hours, having mastered the tram system to get there. She napped for 4 hours. I didn't feel rested when I woke. Was feeling under par.

Regardless at some point we have to go forage for dinner...

I don’t like hearing that you weren’t feeling quite up to par on the day you got off a cruise ship! Sure hope you were just really tired after a wonderful but very busy cruise!

 

Amsterdam really does sound like a delightful city. One of these days it will find it’s way to the top of my very long list of places I want to visit……

[Bimmer09]

Flickr is having an issue this morning which will delay my continuing. I have boffins (me) working on it.

As I said bed at 11 on our first night back in Amsterdam. We set an alarm for 5 a.m as today was the day we would take our 8 a.m canal cruise on an historic vessel from 1928.

I woke at 5 but didn't feel rested as I was still feeling fatigued. Carol continued getting ready.

By 7 I had to make a decision and decided to cancel. I got up and sent an email to say I was unwell. We lost our prepaid fare of $78 but that didn't matter. Another reason to return to Amsterdam!

I eased my way into the day and we were able to enjoy the now complimentary buffet.

 

 

 

Baked beans/grilled tomatoes

 

Dutch tater tots/ grilled sausages

 

Just enough bacon for Norris

 

Scrambled eggs

 

Hard boiled eggs

There's a toaster with a selection of breads and a Franke coffee station where you can have a latte like Carol or a double espresso like me. Carol ordered an omelette from the short  a la carte menu. Great start to the day!

 

[Silkroad]

Norris, I’m sorry to see that you’re still feeling fatigued. I hope you feel better after taking things slowly today. I also hope Carol has a lovely canal cruise. As you say, you’ll have another reason to return.  - Michelle 

[Bimmer09]

The plan today was to use our tickets to the Rijksmuseum which were included in the IAmsterdam card that had also included tram tickets and the Botanic Gardens. Also a free canal cruise with a handful of companies.

Too far to walk in the heat so tram was in order but the tram we needed involved a walk to the Single canal just past the Floating Flower market. Off we went.

These are some flowers we admired growing on the street on our canal...

 

 

This building also lets us know we are at the Singel canal

 

 

Trams come every 4 minutes and digital signboards alert you. They are spotlessly clean.

 

The conductor has a booth in one of the cars. You scan your ticket (in our case from Carol's phone) at a reader as you enter-and you're done.

It took about 15 minutes to get to the museum campus which is on a large square with lawns and a giant pool. People sunbathing. An avenue of food stalls with umbrellas and outdoor seating. Fantastic!

Part of the Van Gogh museum which Carol visited yesterday..

 

 

 

 

Next, we'll go in

[Bimmer09]

Once inside the Rijksmuseum there is the indoor cafe and gift shop

 

 

We are focusing on the great art today so go to the 2nd floor. First floor looked interesting as we waited for the elevator- lots of models of Dutch ships that brought them their early wealth . 2nd Floor..

 

This is some modern art  (stones) on the floor as you walk in. Hmmmm

 

 

 

 

 

 

More...

[Bimmer09]

We move into the main art room

 

 

 

 

 

Rembrandt's Night Watch is huge but has a 12 foot high glass wall around it and a lot of electric equipment (surveillance?) making a good photo unlikely on autofocus. I had to eat to avoid heads in the poor shot.

 

Jan Vermeer

 

 

and again

 

Low light, crowds= quick shaky snap

 

 

 

 

Rembrant's Driver's License photo (self portrait)

 

 

 

I was tired of the crowds by now, however it was good to see so many young people (teens) taking an interest on a Monday afternoon. They weren't tourists according to their speech. Locals. I went back to the stained glass area to wait for Carol and texted her.

 

I'm waiting for the tram

 

Before we got our tram back to Singel we stopped at one of the stands and got a table with an umbrella for shade. A cold beer and a Coke helped revive us both. When it came the tram was jam packed and we had to stand most of the way back like vertical sardines.

Edited July 9, 2023 by Bimmer09
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[Deck Chair Queen]

This is Carol. Norris’s cold became worse and his doctor sent him to the ER today. He has pneumonia and will be in the hospital for a couple of days for treatment. He wanted me to explain to you all why there is a hiatus in the GSJ. All will be well. 

[Harley57]

Sorry to hear Norris is in the hospital.  Sending healing thoughts for a quick and complete recovery.  

[yoshi]

Get Well Norris, we all hope you are out of the hospital and back home soon. 

Carol you take care too. 

[LC1950]

Carol, thank you for letting us know ... sending get well soon vibes through cyberspace to Norris.

[kwokpot]

Oh my. Sending get well soon wishes to Norris. Thank you for the update. 

[vickykay]

Get well soon Norris!

[CMW5060]

Get well soon! 

[Silkroad]

Wishing you a swift recovery, Norris! 

[Altamar]

Feel better soon.

[afto]

Oh no! Best wishes for his rapid recovery.

[scrapcreator]

Carol, thanks for letting us know. Norris, I hope you feel much better very soon.

[Stem to Stern]

Feel better soon Norris.

[silkismom]

So sorry to hear, I was afraid it might be the dreaded C.

[Sarah1974]

Thanks for the update Carol.  Hope Norris is better soon