Our hotelier said there was a fabric market on today, just around the corner from us and if we went we also had to try the famous Dutch apple pie in one of two very good cafes around the area. Great, we were looking forward to seeing what was on offer and possibly purchasing some good quality material. We had deliberately paid yesterday's meal by credit card in order to have enough spare euros to spend in the market.
We were up, ready and out at nine taking our umbrellas with us as the morning was a bit drizzly and we set off, first in the wrong direction and then after our first regroup of the day managed to find the market and both recommended cafes. Needing our coffee fix to wake us up, we decided to have our apple pie for breakfast which was rather large and stodgy but very tasty.
Well, what can we say about the market. We went in one end and came out the other with all our euros still intact. To say it was very underwhelming is an understatement. There were a couple of fabric stalls and the rest unfortutately was tat. It was such a shame, however one good thing about the market was that it was in the same road as the piano museum which we were trying to find the day before, and hey, we found it, but guess what, it was closed!
Off to the photographic museum it was then, via the floating flower market. With maps in hand, we were now using two, we walked down a lovely road full of very nice cafes and found the flower market quite easily. Oh dear, another market which didn't quite live up to its name. We were expecting lots of lovely fresh flowers but were greeted by lots of tourist souvenirs in the form of wooden tulips and fridge magnets. From here we walked past the city's archive building which we thought was the Foam Photographic Museum as it had lots of camera's in the window but it wasn't, however luckily it was just along the road. Thankfully this museum met our expectations and having got ourselves lost in the museum by starting at the top and then missing the way down we thoroughly enjoyed the exhibits. From here, but not originally on our list was the Archive Museum, so off we went to learn all about how Amsterdam was built.......unfortunately for us that too was closed so we plumped for a coffee and a sit down instead. Ah, to rest our weary feet. A regrouping was necessary for our next venture and we thought we'd try the 'Kitten Kabinet'.....otherwise known as the Cat Museum'. Finding it reasonably easy to get there in we went. Oh dear, another museum that didn't live up to its expectations........never mind, off to the next one, Rembrabdt's House Museum. Mmmm, now how do we get there.....I know, let's regroup!
We regrouped at least five times, all within a radii of two blocks! Try as we might we could not find this museum. We even resorted to following the signpost to Rembrandthuis, which we presumed was Rembrandt House in Dutch but we still couldn't find it. The map said it was number 4 Jodenbreestraat and we came to number 54 and then the road ended so we crossed the road, presuming it would carry on, but it didn't as the road then became Valkeneugerstr. We didn't twig that the Rembrandt cafe on the corner may well hold a clue. We crossed to the island in the middle of the street to regroup and get our bearings and lo and behold, right in front of us, and next door to the Rembrandt cafe was the Rembrandt House Museum. We had walked past it at least four times without realising where we were! We put our failings down to tired feet syndrome, a condition we were both suffering with.
The museum is located inside a canal house which is very deceiving for when you step inside they are like a tardis, huge inside and very tall. Like we did at the Van Gogh Museum, we decided to start at the top and work our way down. So up and up we trundled, round and round the spiral staircase that seems to be built into these houses and came to the top floor exhibition. Having looked round we went to go back down to the floor below but were told it was a 'one way only' system so we had to walk all the way down the other way to the start and then start from the bottom and worked our way up to the top! It was a bit like, we're following the right path, but not necessarily in the right order!
Having learnt as much as we could we needed to refresh our feet.....we knew the 'Heineken Experience' wasn't far away and that it would 'refresh the parts other beers couldn't ' but we didn't think our map reading skills would get us that far so we plumped for a little cafe we found round the corner and enjoyed toasted sandwiches washed down with some nice cold wine. I must say, we have really enjoyed the wine out here, which we have put down to drinking in a relaxed environment without the stresses and strains of working life!
We were going to take our iamsterdam ‘included’ boat cruise but we were too worn out to walk back to Anne Frank's house where they went from so instead we decided to walk home and stop off somewhere for more wine. Whilst in the bar, we felt the need to regroup and decide what our next move would be. We were quite hungry by now with Maice feeling a tad faint so we thought we’d return to the hotel for a fifteen minute pit-stop, finish off the bread, cheese and olives from our Saturday night picnic and head off in search of food.
We walked the length and breadth of Harrlemmersigk looking for someplace to eat, but couldn't find anything we liked so I bought a woolly hat instead. We must have been inspired by this purchase as we came across a temporary tapas bar and in we went. I think Maice must have thought she was in a Greek restaurant as next thing we knew she had smashed the glass that was sitting on the table. I think tiredness had finally got to her. We made our way back to the hotel via the supermarket for some tonic for Maice's gin and a bottle of wine for me.
Oh, to get into the shower to revigorate our aching limbs. I've absolutely no idea what she did in there but considering the shower is screened and is quite a way from the toilet and the opposite wall Maice had managed to soak practically the whole bathroom, blaming it on a leaky shower!!!! We'll put that down to tiredness too! I of course, showered beautifully, the water going only where it was intended.
Now in our pyjamas, emulating the famous Morecambe and Wise bedroom clip, we sat in bed drinking gin and wine, contemplating our hectic day and planning for our last day tomorrow.
Our flight is not until 20.55 in the evening so it's going to be another action packed day. Our poor feet......can they survive another day!
Welterusten…….
M&A xx