Prinsendam, July, 2015
July 12, 2015 - Amsterdam
Our taxi arrived at 12:30. By 1:10 we had checked in with KLM and were in line for TSA. There is no TSA Pre for international flights these days, so it was shoes off, computers and liquids out and empty pockets for screening. What a drag. This took 40 minutes. We were still 2 hours early, so we sat and watched people at the gate. Our boarding went on schedule, and we were seated onboard at 4:00. Our 4:20 flight was delayed until 5:00 as they continued to load cargo. Our plane was a 747 Combi. The entire back half of the plane was a large cargo hold. Despite this we landed ahead of schedule at 7:00 AM Monday morning. The flight was very smooth and the meals were passable. Neither of us was able to get any sleep.
July 13, 2015 - Amsterdam
It took us an hour to get through customs and collect our luggage. When we exited the arrivals hall, a young man holding a Holland America sign was right in front of us. He had his car waiting for us. He did an admirable job of fitting all four pieces of luggage into the trunk. We were off to the Renaissance. It was 8:05 AM.
At 8:45 we arrived at the checkin desk. All went smoothly, but our room would not be ready until 3:00. We got claim checks for our luggage, and headed off to the central train station. This was about 4 blocks away. Tourist information was located here. When we entered the station we started following the " I" signs. At least three of these led to train information only. Finally an agent told us that the tourist information office was outside the station and across the tram tracks.
Sure enough, as we exited the station we saw a white building with an IAMsterdam sign. I had done a little research at home and knew that for 65 euros we could purchase a card that would give us unlimited use of the city trams, buses and metro for 2 days, some free or discounted museum access and 24 hours of bus service to towns outside Amsterdam. We wanted to ride the trams, skip the museums and spend one day out of Amsterdam. A young agent approached us, asked what we wanted to do, and explained that a one day city pas for 7.50 and a one day get away pass, which included trams, for 13.50 would fill our needs. For 21 euros each we would spend today tooling around Amsterdam and tomorrow visiting Vollendam and Edam. A cool savings of 44 euros each.
With cards in hand we set off for a tram ride to the museum plaza. We just wanted to stroll around. We had visited the museums before. From there we road the #5 tram to the end of the line and back to central station. There we boarded #14 and did the same. These were excellent rides through retail and residential areas. We found the architecture varied and interesting.
We walked back to the hotel and at 1:00 found that our room was ready. In the room we waited for or luggage, and took a nap until 4:00. Then it was off on foot to visit Dam Square and then leave the crowds to stroll the neighborhoods. We got off the beaten path, and had the sidewalks to ourselves. We wandered into some alleys to discover beautiful squares behind the mass of apartments. Another whole world.
As we headed back to the hotel we wandered past more retail shops. Suddenly we were surrounded by sex shops. We had arrived at the fringe of the red light district. We had come to this area on a tour several years ago. It was night then, and things looked very different with the "shop" windows lit to display their wares. In the daylight it seemed crowded and seedy. We turned to head back to the central station and our hotel.
On the way we saw canal tour headquarters. This was several piers where multiple companies docked their tour boats. Each offered a slightly different twist to the tour. They all seemed to compete in harmony. Again, we had taken a canal tour on an earlier visit, so we walked on. The crowds of tourists were enthusiastic and orderly.
Back at the Renaissance we had a leisurely dinner and relived our day. After planning for tomorrow, we returned to the room exhausted and settled in for a good night's sleep.
July 14, 2015 - Amsterdam Environs
Today we will use our passes for the buses that will take us away from Amsterdam. But first we will stoke up on the hotel's complimentary breakfast. This was a very complete breakfast priced at 24.50 euros if purchased separately. It was definitely worth it.
Fueled and ready we once again headed to the central station. The buses depart from the side of the station facing the Amstel River on the second level. We walked through the station under the tracks past many shops. The volume of passengers arriving on trains with large suitcases was impressive. Rail travel in Europe is efficient and economical. At the top of the escalator we found bus stops well numbered. We looked for number 316 to Volendam, and found the departure point just as the bus pulled away. The supervisor on the platform told us the next bus was in 15 minutes and would take just 30 minutes to get to Volendam. No problem.
On schedule we boarded the bus, and were off. The route out of the city took us away from the tram lines we had ridden yesterday. More new sights. Then the countryside rolled out before us. It was beautiful. We had chosen to sit near the back of the bus where the seats were elevated. This proved to be a marvelous vantage point. There were only 6 others on the bus. We were all headed to Volendam. On the bus there were video screens showing the next several stops and estimated arrival times. These appeared to by synchronized to a GPS system as the times were revised based on the buses progress. Neat!
We alighted at a stop called Volendam Centrum. This is an old fishing village that has been retrofitted for tourism. Our goal was the water front. Which way to go. We chose to continue along the road the bus had traveled. This took us through a very nice neighborhood with simple but attractive two story housing. Everything was ver neat and nicely kept. The large picture windows were adorned with attractive lace curtains of varied patterns and one, two or sometimes three large decorative vases. Sometimes all of these were identical. Other times they were unique. Always they were beautiful.
After several blocks of this we dared into a small alley to investigate what lay behind the pretty fronts. We found neat squares that provided common space shared by all of these homes. All homes were attached like row houses and two stories tall. There were porches at the back of the second level. We could not tell if these were rentals or private homes, but they were very nice. No one was out and about. It was 10:30.
After more walking, we came to another bus stop. We studied the map inside the shelter and discovered that we had been on a road parallel to the sea, but turning toward it. We were very close to it now, so we turned toward the sea. In two short blocks we were in a tour bus park on the waterfront at the end of the tourist walk. We would follow this walk back to the attractions and eventually get back to our original bus stop.
 |
| Main Tourist Street in Vollendam |
We admired more beautiful homes. These were detached, old but immaculate. Some were B&B's. All were inviting. We kept walking. We shopped, attended a cheese making demo, bought cheese knives and ogled the girls. At least I did. Nothing so nice as tall, slender blondes. At lunch time we found a pleasant seaside cafe where we enjoyed a local summer beer and kroquets. These had been recommended by our driver yesterday. Once was enough, but it was a fine lunch.
 |
| View toward Maarken from our lunch table |
During lunch we discussed taking the ferry across to Maarken, an old fishing village where original costumes are worn. We would save that for another time. We decided we had seen enough of Volendam, so aptly described in the guide books as very touristic. We would use our passes to board a local bus to Edam.
A long walk took us back to the main thoroughfare. I chose a wrong turn that caused us to walk to a bus stop farther away than the one at which we had arrived. Sorry, Alice. After a short wait the bus arrived. Twenty minutes later we were in Edam.
Seven years ago we visited here by coach while doing a stay in Amsterdam prior to our first ever river cruise. We remembered the nice restaurant where the tour stopped for lunch. A coach had taken us there. Now we were at a bus terminal on the outskirts of town. We did not really care if we saw it again; just wondered.
As we began our walk we passed a bike parking area. Again the racks were full. Biking to and from the bus is the order of the day. Our meandering took us through lovely neighborhoods as we aimed for a tall church tower. We had visited a nice church the last visit, and thought this might be it. Not so. This was not a church, but a carillon. If there ever was a church on this site it was long gone. The many bells in the tower were enchanting. We were sorry we could not hear them.
Next we found a street that led to the main canal. There at the intersection with the canal stood "our" restaurant. It had not changed, and the garden was in full bloom. We walked to the canal bridge, and noticed that at the next bridge a large sailboat was waiting for the bridge tender to open the bridge so they could come our way.
A young lady appeared. She lowered the gates across the road. Then she unlocked and moved a lever. This unlatched the bridge at the far side. She came back to our side, unlocked another lever and lightly pulled it. The bridge started to rise. Another pull brought it to a fully opened position, and the boat passed through. The tender reversed the process, but to speed the closing she ran up the partially lowered span to hasten it down. After she latched and locked it, she scurried to the next bridge where the boat waited and we were standing. Here the process was similar except that this bridge was larger and heavier. To raise this one she turned a large crank. With all restored to normal we crossed the bridge and took the lane alongside the canal.
A bit farther on we met a gentleman, K.C. He was at the canal with his dog and cat. The cat was playing up a tree, while the dog was rolling in the dust. K.C. Was eyeing our approach. He was very friendly, and greeted us kindly. We asked if the house facing the canal was his. It was. He told us the story of how he came to buy it and the shed next door. We learned that he had lived on a farm 20 miles to the north, then owned a bar and later drove a taxi. He was 58 and had purchased this house in 1990. It needed a lot of work then, and still does. It is 150 years old, but is habitable and in decent condition.
K.C. has Parkinson's disease, and his medication leaves him with tremors. This limits what he can accomplish. Toward the end of our lengthy conversation, a woman joined us. This was K.C.'s partner, Beatrix. When she heard our plans for returning to Amsterdam, she told us of some charming old painted wooden homes around a lake in Broek in Watertown. This would be a bus stop on the way back. We should get off the bus and look for a pancake house. Inside they had a book describing the old homes. After visiting this we should keep on walking. We could not miss the houses.
We bid our farewell, and started off to city center and then the bus terminal. We managed to find our way without difficulty. The smaller canals we followed and the new neighborhoods we visited were all charming.
A 30 minute bus ride took us to Broek in Watertown. We found everything just as Beatrix had described it. The waitress in the pancake house got out the book about the houses. After looking through it we left to see the real thing. The place was amazing. The houses were beautiful. The lake was serene. And, it was so peacefully quiet. Very few people were about, but when we returned to the pancake house for supper, it was crowded. We got the last table.
The waitress brought the menu. After she left we discovered that it was in Dutch. There were many pancake offerings with various ingredients, but we could only guess at what these were. We got kaas correct because it was on the sign at the cheese shop in Volendam. We formulated our questions for the waitress, if she ever returned. At last she appeared, and when she heard our questions she laughed apologetically. She had an English menu, but had given us Dutch by mistake. We all had fun with this. Alice ordered hers with apples and bacon. Mine was with bacon and ginger.
The place was very busy, and it took a long time for the pancakes to come. People watching as we waited was great fun. As was talking about how far off we were in guessing the ingredients. Ananas was pineapple not bananas. Gamber was ginger, and Spec was bacon. Go figure. The pancakes arrived. They were very thin, as we expected. The ingredients were spread around the top quite generously. We enjoyed them, and returned to the bus stop to wait for the 316 to central station.
On the way back we decided to take a different bus to Maarken. It was now 7:30. We caught the bus and arrived in Maarken at 8:15. We had until 9:20 when the return bus to Amsterdam would depart. After that it would be just 1 bus per hour. This was not a problem as Maarken is very compact. We walked to and around the harbor. Only one pub was open. We saw only 5 other people. This was fine with us. We enjoyed the old homes and shops from the outside on streets uncluttered with tourists. How nice and peaceful. We were happy we had not taken the ferry. The bus got us back to central station just after 10:00. We were in bed by 11:00. We had walked 10.7 miles according to our new Fitbits. What a fulfilling day!
July 15, 2025 - Prinsendam
Today is boarding and departure day. Our bags were outside our room at 8:00 AM. We had a leisurely breakfast, checked that our luggage was in the transfer zone and relaxed until we boarded the shuttle to the ship at 10:15. An hour later we were at the pier. It is in the middle of a commercial port well outside Amsterdam. Inside the terminal we were greeted and given ticket #12, our boarding call. We went up the stairs to the waiting hall. As we looked for seats (the hall was very full) Alice immediately spotted Marian and Ken. They are a couple we met in 2014 on the Grand South America, and we will be sharing a dinner table with them. They had arrived by taxi a short time earlier. They had booked a hotel near the port in the city after spending a week with Marian's son in Switzerland. In the past their ships had docked directly across the street. This time it turned out that they had a 105 euro cab fare to the pier.
After a short visit, the boarding process started. The first group called was #12. We were in the first group and the seventh couple to register. We were in our room by 11:30, and in the dining room by noon. So nice to be home! As we went to our table, we passed Al and Sharon and Mike and Anastasia. They are friends from the Grand SA. The dining room assistant regrouped and put us all at one table. What fun renewing old friendships.
After some orientation, it was 18 months since we were last aboard Prinsendam, and unpacking, it was dinner time. As we waited to be taken to our table, Marian and Ken were coming out of the narrow dining area forward of the main dining room. It seems that our appointed table was in there, but some others had taken it over. We waited for our friend, Kiki, to correct the problem. He had us directed to a table for four near the windows. Next to the window was a table for two that would be used for transient open seating. Our table was fixed for 35 days.
After a fine dinner, we relaxed and retired early.
July 16, 2015 - Sea day
Well rested we started our day with breakfast in the dining room. The menu has at least four times the choices that Celebrity offered. Good to be back.
The morning included shore excursion and port lectures. These were followed by the Cruise Critic meet and mingle. This is normally an opportunity for folks who have been posting to the cruise's roll call on Cruise Critic to meet and get to know each other. Holland America provides the Crow's Nest as the venue along with beverages and cookies. Often the beverage manager and programs director attend. They did this time.
In the past this has been a purely social event. Even though the roll call may be used to organize private tours, they are not discussed here as a courtesy to our hosts. Not so this time. Right after the welcome and acknowledgement of the staff, the leader launched into organizing and finalizing the private tours. Alice and I were appalled at this lack of respect. HAL does offer shore excursions as part of their business plan. Passengers willing to do private tours are welcome to do so at their own risk, but to flaunt this in the face of our hosts seems like the ideal way to lose the support of HAL for future meet and mingles.
July 17, 2015 - Rosyth, Scotland
Today is our first port and our first shore excursion. This is the port for Edinburgh. We have been there before, and the second to last day of our cruise we will return. For this reason we opted to take a tour to the Falkirk Wheel. In reading the excursion description online we were captivated. This is a rotary lift that raises boats on one canal 110 feet to join the higher canal. This used to require 11 locks, waste thousands of gallons of water and take all day. Now it is accomplished in just five minutes with very little wasted water. It is the only lift of its kind in the world. A nice ride through the countryside took us to the wheel. There we boarded a boat for the transit. We rode into a chamber, doors closed behind us, and after we were tied to the side our journey began. It was quick and smooth. At the top we moved toward the first lock of the upper canal, but we did not enter it. Instead we turned around and went back to the wheel. Again we entered, were tied up and began the ride. This time we were going down. There was another boat in the lower chamber. It passed us going up as we came down. Everything was smooth as silk. This is like a very large two gondola Ferris wheel. Such precision.
 |
| Falkirk Wheel raises boats to the canal above |
 |
| Boat on right is going up while container at left brings one down |
 |
| Our boat returns to the wheel for the trip back down |
After disembarking, we watched other rotations, purchased the guidebook and re-boarded the bus for the nice ride back to Prinsendam. A marvelous time.
July 18, 2015 - Invergordon, Scotland
This is the jumping off point for Inverness, Loch Ness, TheGreat Glen and other sights. It is also a small, but lovely town, ideal for walking, with many murals painted on the walls of buildings. We took the walk. As we walked to the end of town we saw several deep water oil rigs in port. Some of these are being refurbished others are idle and waiting for oil prices to climb enough to make them profitable to use again. The impact on the town's economy of this idleness is significant. Many businesses have closed.
 |
| City Center Invergordon, Scotland |
At the end of town we walked away from the sea towards the train station. Here were more murals and several people waiting for the train to Inverness. A local woman told us that the train was due at 11:30, but was delayed until 12:05 due to an equipment fault. This might not be a problem now, but it could be, if it affected a train when trying to return to the ship. She also told about a beautiful beach to walk. It was a little farther out of town than we had gone. We thanked her and walked down the platform.
 |
| From this station trains serve Inverness |
Alice and I debated including this next part, but it is now eight days since it happened, and it is another of our adventures.
As we left the station we passed a playground, and came to steps leading to the bridge over the tracks that would take us to a beautiful neighborhood. We had been walking for an hour and a half. I felt fine until I started up the stairs. Then I got lightheaded and slowed down. As I started across the bridge with Alice ahead of me, I called to her that I needed to stop, and I reached for the bridge railing.
 |
| Pat's Bridge - Stairs on Right |
Mickey and Jack does this sound familiar.
The next thing I remember was coming to on the pavement, and Alice calling for help. I guess I should have sat down at the first sign of lightheadedness. Two local men came to our aid. I was bleeding profusely (thank you Coumadin) from the back of my head. They wanted to call an ambulance,but said it must come from Inverness, and would take too long. Bruce would drive us to the ship where he doctor could treat us immediately. I sat up. Alice produced a napkin from her purse and I pressed it against my head to slow the flow. I did not want blood in Bruce's car. I was able to get up and into the car. Bruce hurried us to the port. We thanked him for his trouble and assistance. He refused compensation. We then passed through security, and walked the length of the pier and up the gangway. The medical center was just inside. I felt fine, but shaken.
More good fortune. The doctor is an independent contractor from Pittsburgh with 29 years of emergency room experience. He has seen this stuff before. My vital signs were fine. I had no swelling or headache, but I did have two deep lacerations that would require stitches or staples. The paving on the bridge was exposed aggregate. That is stones exposed in cement. It looks nice, provides good traction and cuts deep. The doctor said some docs would ship me off to the hospital for a CT scan. They seldom showed anything, and would only make us late for sail away. Since I had no adverse symptoms he suggested cleaning the wounds and closing them with staples. We agreed.
After carefully flushing my wounds and probing them to be sure there was no foreign matter left inside, he decided to staple me shut. One wound required 4 staples. The other required 3 staples. That was relatively painless, but my hair was still pink and there was some bleeding from the staples. Doctor cleaned me up some more, and applied a bandage at the top of my neck to keep blood off of my collar. He warned me about potential oozing and what negative symptoms to be alert for. I should come back in 5 days for staple removal unless I experienced something unusual beforehand. He then applied antiseptic ointment, and gave us some to use daily.
Alice cleaned my hair some more in our cabin and we went to lunch. After lunch we walked back into town. Our first stop was a gift shop near the pier that we had visited earlier. Before my fall we had stopped at an ATM so now we had Scottish pounds to spend. I had seen a very nice whisky glass in this shop when we left the pier earlier. Now I bought it. It was just 5 pounds. At home they are $25 and up.
Moving on we visited some more of the murals. Then we went to visit the church. Here free internet was provided in addition to tea or coffee. What nice hospitality.
Upon exiting the church we found that we were not far from the neighborhood we were wanting to visit when my adventure started. We walked to it while admiring the architecture. The houses were very nice, and the gardens were beautiful. We don't know where Bruce lived, and we did not see him either. We are very grateful to have found him. As we left this neighborhood we crossed our bridge. The stones hardly seemed big enough to inflict so much damage. Alice kindly reminded me that I do weigh a bit and did land with force. A pool of my blood remained to mark this hallowed ground. We marched back to the Main Street and Prinsendam.
Another very good day.
Thinking about this episode over the past days it seems most likely that what happened was the result of me being dehydrated. Nevertheless, I will have a thorough physical when we get home. In the meantime I will continue to be a little gun shy, and perhaps over cautious. Better safe than sorry is the order of the day. I can certainly recognize the symptoms, and will sit at the first sign of difficulty. So far, as of July 29, there has been no need for this. The only activity I have avoided is climbing where more than 100 stairs are involved. We carry on.
July 19, 2015 - Kirkwall, Scotland
A short shuttle ride into town dropped us at the visitors center. We picked up a map and headed to the cathedral. It was closed until 1:30 for Sunday worship, so we walked into the cemetery. We found it to be very interesting but very old with illegible stones. We left by a side gate to visit the ruins of Earl and Bishop's quarters across the street. These were very interesting on well kept grounds. Next stop was the cathedral visitors center where we watched a video on the history of the cathedral. Then we set off towards the next church spire we could see. This church was closed. Next door were some government offices. Then we went back into the neighborhood. These were narrow row houses with small squares in back. Very cozy.
 |
| Earl's Residence in Kirkwall |
 |
| St Magnus Cathedral and Cemetery |
Back at the cathedral services were over and we were able to tour it. It is centuries old but well preserved and maintained. It was a very nice visit.
All that was left was to tour the Main Street. Here all of the shops were open and happy to see cruisers. A much larger MSC cruise ship was also in port. We were in and out of woolens and glass shops. Then we found a shop with all sorts of jigsaw puzzles in the window. When we entered we found much to our surprise that this was an appliance store. The front had toys and games for children. Then there were stoves, refrigerators, ovens, microwaves and tv's. Amazing. Amuse the kids while the parents drop the big bucks. A sign on a children's rocking horse said unattended children would be sold to the circus, but I doubt it.
Now came the jewelry stores. Most windows earned a glance and move on. The Longboat Store, however, had very distinctive jewelry designed in the Orkney Islands. In we went. What a brilliant shop. In the cases they displayed their designs in silver with the same design, executed in gold, right next to it. I told the sales girl that Alice could only wear gold, so she encouraged us to look. We immediately spotted a necklace and earrings in gold that looked perfect. We kept looking and comparing. We did find one other nice design, but they only had the silver in stock. We went back to our original find. The clerk inserted one earring into a clear plastic holder so Alice could hold it to her ear and see what it would look like. We negotiated a satisfactory discount with the store manager, and had them wrapped. If the Tax Free system works as we were told, the price will be even better.
We walked back to the shuttle and boarded it. As we awaited the departure time, the ship's doctor boarded. On the way back we talked about the day's experiences. Then I kidded him about wearing glasses. There were none in sight yesterday in the medical center. He assured me that he only needed them for distance work. When we alighted, he looked at my wounds. They looked fine to him. Even the one staple that I snagged with my comb this morning. Give it 4 more days and see him for staples removal. He was pleased that there was no oozing on my pillow. So was I. Our stewards appreciated that as well.
July 20, 2015 - Portree, Scotland
The port lecturer had warned that Portree was very small with little to do. He was right, but we still managed to entertain ourselves for several hours. We had a tender ride to shore. Then we started our walk. The town center was very close. To get there it was necessary to walk up a steep hill. I have been a bit gun shy since passing out in Invergordon, but the hill climb had no ill effects.
 |
| Portree Scotland |
We roamed a few shops before going to the visitors center. There we got a map, and stepped outside to plan our visit. First stop was the Old Graveyard. This was down the hill from the visitors center. It was indeed old. Many of the tombstones showed the year of death and the age of the deceased, but no birth date. The math was up to us.
We passed the visitors center again and headed toward the church where a craft show was going on. Interesting stuff, but not interesting enough to carry home. On the way back to the Main Street we passed a young piper accompanied by a young drummer. Their open instrument case indicated that cruisers can be generous. At the other end of the street we found what appeared to be a nicknack shop. Imagine our surprise when we discovered a wide range of expensive single malt scotches in one corner. This led to a hunt for whisky glasses. We found the same one I purchased in Invergordon for 60% more. They sure know how to gouge tourists in this small town. A short walk past the town center took us to the community center busy with youngsters engaging in all sorts of activities. We passed a coach repair shop on our way back. Then it was down the hill to the tender and a short ride home. No money spent.
To make up for not spending any money in town I signed up for the scotch tasting that would follow tonight's entertainment. $25 for 4 single malt drams seemed reasonable. I had not taken any of the ship's expensive excursions to scotch distilleries. I would much rather spend that money on the scotch. Besides, Alice was not interested in those tours, and they would have detracted from our time in the towns.
Eleven passengers turned out for this event. Jose, a bartender, had done some online research into scotch and tasting. This enabled him to convince the beverage chief to let him offer the tasting. Fortunately for him I was the only one with any single malt knowledge. The others received it well, but I was disappointed in the content. The scotch on the other hand was very good. They featured two highlands whiskys, a speyside and finished with one of my at home favorites, a smokey 10 year old Laphroaig. The consensus was that the second highlands dram was the favorite. My favorite Laphroaig was voted the most like drinking a campfire. Part of the problem was that Jose had not taught how to sip single malts. If the sip is small enough to allow speech before swallowing, the fullness of the flavor components is really appreciated. This also extends the time to finish a shot to as long as an hour. Our tasting was only to last an hour for four drams. They meant well. The whisky was good. The learning was limited.
July 21, 2015 - Oban, Isle of Skye, Scotland
Another tender ride today. This took us to near central Oban. What a bustling little city. It is much nicer than Portree. We picked up maps at the visitors center and followed the harbor edge to a lesser commercial district. Here the shops were smaller and more diverse than those downtown. In exploring a sewing shop, I asked where we might find shop where we could have some holes punched in a belt. The clerk spit out a store name. Then realizing we were not locals she got a map and showed us where to go. We continued examining the shop. A large man, the owner, approached us from the back room. He had just realized that he had a leather punch. I had carried along my black belt for formal nights which is too big. We discussed my needs and he carefully punched two holes in the belt for me. He refused anything for his trouble. We thanked him and headed toward a church.
 |
| Oban Distillery with Colosseum on Hill |
 |
| Oban City Center |
We were looking for the pink granite cathedral. This was not it, but a beautiful red Audi sports coupe was parked in front of the door. I do not believe this model crosses to our shores. When it does, I want one.
We kept walking into a hilly neighborhood. Here we found many attractive bed and breakfasts. There was a steep, heavily wooded cliff to our left and a hilly neighborhood on our right. We walked well into this before returning to the harbor area. On the way back we met Bruce and Janet. They were on the Grand SA with us, and like us they prefer to strike out on their own. They were on their way to the train station. They did not know of the pink granite cathedral. We said our goodbyes and returned to the visitors center at the harbor.
 |
| Guest House - Park But No Checkin Before 4PM |
The helpful man at the center told us our goal was the catholic cathedral. It was on the waterfront half way to the castle. Perfect! The castle was our ultimate objective, and the cathedral would be a good place to pause. After watching a few ferries come and go, and using the free toilets on this pier, we walked toward the cathedral. It is slightly pink.
 |
| The Pink Granite Cathedral |
 |
| Not Pink Inside |
We toured the cathedral. Then we walked on toward the castle. We chose the woodland path which took us inland just a bit from the coast road. It had a green canopy with few bugs. We encountered a couple of men walking and exercising their dogs. One do had a large branch and a ball in his mouth. The owner assured us the dog could still bark. Sure enough, after we had passed, the dog let out a series of barks. It dropped nothing.
 |
| On the Trail to the Distant Castle |
 |
| Prinsendam from the Castle |
We walked up to the castle. It is being renovated and made safe, so you cannot enter the ruins. You can enjoy beautiful views to the sea and the city. On our way down we met the doctor going up. My private physician follows me. Before leaving the grounds we toured the 1745 house. It is full of interesting artifacts. Then it was back to sea level and the long walk to the tender pier. We returned to Prinsendam after walking 7.7 miles. Another grand day.
July 22, 2015 - Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Due to wind conditions our port was moved to an anchorage at Greencastle. We are on tour today. A long coach ride through the country took us to an ancient religious site with great views of the sea. Then we had a drive through the city. Our first stop was in a Protestant area where no Catholics are welcome. Even today. Next we drove past murals into the Catholic area. Here we saw the peace wall and heard of life after the "troubles". Our guide explained that Derry is very segregated today, even after the peace. He attributes this to the fact that only 7% of the children attend public schools which are integrated. The others go to either Catholic or Protestant schools until after high school. They have zero interaction with each other until then. They don't know how to get along with each other. We drove through Bog Side where the Catholics live. It is depressing compared to the Protestant neighborhood.
 |
| Old Religious Site Outside Londonderry |
 |
| Views From the Top |
 |
| Bog Side Catholic area |
 |
| Derry City Center |
 |
| The City Wall |
 |
| Dedicated to Peace |
 |
| The Peace Bridge |
We met Bruce and Janet on the wall. They had come in on the shuttle and confirmed the location of the stop. It was just outside the visitors center. We finished the wall walk, and made our way through the shopping center to the visitors center. We got maps, and had our questions answered. We walked first to a statue of peace. Then we walked back to the peace bridge where we walked half way across before returning to the shuttle stop. A 45 minute ride got us back home.
This exposure to the "troubles" gave us a deeper understanding of the extent of the problem. Alice and I had visited Ireland in June, 1968 on our honeymoon. We encountered a demonstration then near Belfast. We were driving our rental car to Dublin when a rally broke up and spilled out of a football stadium. Our car was surrounded by men thumping on it. They let us pass when they realized we were not locals. Just four months later, in October, things escalated to bloodshed. We were home by then and never fully understood the scope of it all.
July 23, 2015 - Belfast, Northern Ireland
We have chosen to do Belfast on our own. We are docked here with a free shuttle to city center. On our Australia cruise in February we met a couple from this area. They insisted that we visit Titanic Belfast and take a city tour. My online research indicated a HopOn HopOff bus with a discount Titanic ticket.
 |
| Titanic Belfast |
The shuttle dropped us in front of the visitors center, so we went in to buy our tickets. The bus voucher was 21 pounds for the two of us. The second stop would be the Titanic Belfast. Off we went. At Titanic Belfast we learned that the bus discount was not as good as the senior discount. For 22 pounds we both got into the exhibit. Three hours later we were finished. We waited and boarded the bus at 3:00. The tour was to take an hour and a half. The last shuttle was in an hour and 45 minutes from the visitors center. We were gong to cut it close, but we could take a cab if we missed the shuttle. We decided to give it a go. Other ship passengers got off at the next stop. Would we regret this?
We thoroughly enjoyed the trip. We never got off, but did not feel we had to. We visited neighborhoods, Belfast Castle where a wedding was taking place and the Peace Wall. This was more impressive and ominous than what we saw in Derry. In places the wall was 80 feet high. In two locations we viewed gates that close every night at 7:00 even today. This is to keep Catholics and Protestants apart. One location had gates that could be operated from the police station.
As we moved from region to region we again saw murals depicting memorials or defiance. The locals pray that negotiations continue, and the peace will become permanent. But there is still an underlying fear that trouble will erupt again.
Our journey continued. At 4:30 we were close to, but not at the end of our tour. The whole tour had a live narration. Alice and I now gave up our top deck front seats and went down to sit next to the narrator. She sensed our anxiety and asked what we needed to do. When she heard, she asked the driver to stop at the traffic light. She said if we walked down the street to our right we would be ay the visitors center in two minutes. Sure enough, at 4:37 we were in the queue at the shuttle stop. It arrived at 4:42 and was gone at 4:45. No nonsense. Ten minutes later we were at the ship.
We went directly to the medical center for staple removal. The doctor was pleased with the healing of the wounds. It would be fine to remove the staples today. After locating an extractor he got to work. The first one caused a wince. Number two was painless. Number three was a problem, a grimace. He would come back to that one. The remaining four came out easily, as they are supposed to. A closer look at that third staple revealed the problem. It had not gone all the way in on insertion. As a result sometime in the past five days it got bent. Probably as I tossed in bed. He gently, but not painlessly, straightened it. Now it came right out. He blotted a little oozing, said there might be a little more that did not require a dressing. The antiseptic is no longer necessary. Just keep on my feet. I was dismissed.
Another Glorious Day!
July 24, 2015 - Dublin, Republic of Ireland
We docked in a commercial area of the Port of Dublin. A free shuttle took us to Kildare Street between Trinity College and St. Stephen's Green. As we walked away from the stop we decided to check out the National Library, which was right there.
The gentleman at the desk advised us that entry was free, we could take pictures everywhere except the Main Reading Room and our bags would have to be placed in a free locker. As I set the combination for our locker, Alice returned to reception. When I joined her there, the gentleman proceed to tell us the history of the library. A fascinating story. In the middle 1800's England set up a parliament in Dublin to rule the country. The parliamentarians had city homes and country homes. The large house behind the library was one such city home occupied by a "strange" fellow. Four years later England disbanded this effort and the home was given to the strange fellow's brother. This man declared that he could not live in the house. This was because his brother was a hoarder. Every room was filled with books and stuff.
So, he built the library and the museum building on the other side of the square. Everything was moved into these two buildings, and he lived in the large house.
The library is quite nice. It has an excellent genealogy section. The main reading room is classic with large reading desks. The librarian brings requested materials to you. He spied Alice's camera and rushed over to reassert the no photos policy. We had not even considered violating this.
Our visit over, we walked to the end of Kildare and into st. Stephen's Green. What a lovely park. We noted watching children at play, birds in the ponds and the lush vegetation. Then it out of the park and into the bustle of the street. We wound our way past St. Stephen's Mall. We had shopped here on our last visit, so we kept on walking.
Soon we were in the Temple Bar area. One of our travel books had mentioned Long Hall Bar as a reasonably priced alternative to Temple Bar. We sought it out in order to know how to find it later for birthday pints of Guinness. Then we strolled along the River Liffey until we crossed it on O'Connel Street. Soon we found the central post office. After examining bullet holes in the pillars and walls from a long-past uprising, we went inside. What a beautiful interior. And it was busy.
Outside again, we walked to the Millennium Spire. This is a tall slender tapered structure reaching for the heavens. It is impressive for its size, if not its purpose, a monument to the millennium. We entered a shopping mall nearby and left it quickly. A short distance farther we found a produce and fish market. This is our cup of tea. The fruits were beautiful. I watched as one woman wrote a price sign for small pineapples. 1 euro. Not too bad. A little farther on we watched a fish monger deftly gut and clean four fresh fish that a man had selected. I called her an expert. She said no, just a sharp knife. I am sure the knife helped, but knowing where to put it is the art.
 |
| To Celebrate the Millennium |
Now we were off to the Dublin Castle. On the way we passed the Leprechaun Museum. Talk about tourists traps. As we stood on a corner looking at our map a local lady offered help. She told us you could not see the castle from here, but to cross the street and go behind the church. Then it would be visible. She offered that the small gardens were beautiful and should not be missed. Her husband jumped in to say that the Coach House was the real prize. Men's and women's interests differ the world over, in this case they were both right. We followed their directions, and there it was. We walked around the castle to the Coach House, passing the gardens on the way. We would come back for those.
 |
| Dublin Castle |
The gentleman had said the Coach House demonstrated the opulence of its day. So true. In addition today there was an exhibit of young designers' efforts to repurpose paper, fabrics and other materials.
Outside again the gardens were on the opposite side of a large square that contained a labyrinth. Mom and kids were having a ball following the paths. We skirted it and entered the gardens. This proved to be very moving. It was designed in tribute to policeman killed in the line of duty. There are sculptures dedicated to the deceased and others for their families. The theme is the suddenness of life's changes. It is so well done that even now, as I write about it four days later, I am moved.
Next we sought out Long Hall Bar. We took seats in the window in order to people watch. When the bar man brought the two pints of Guinness I had ordered, Alice asked if I could have ordered anything smaller. Of course I said no. My plan was that she would drink half of hers, and I would have to finish it. Ha! She fooled me. 45 minutes later hers was all gone. Mine too. We refused seconds. We had to leave to catch the shuttle back to Prinsendam. After a short walk we joined the queue. Soon we were at dinner complete with birthday cake.
 |
| Happy Birthday to Me! |
I capped my day with a dram of Laphroaig neat during the entertainment. This did last a full hour and capped a full day.
July 25, 2015 - Holyhead, Anglesey Wales
Today we set out an excursion to Beaumaris, Conwy and the Welsh city with the longest name. Our guide, Amanda, has lived in Wales for 30 years. She is a constant font of knowledge. The drive to Beaumaris through the countryside was beautiful and rain free. We have had quite a bit of rain during our stops. Most of it has been light, but local folks complain that this has been a very wet spring and summer.
 |
| Beaumaris Castle |
Beaumaris is a small town built on a very wide River estuary. The tidal fluctuation can be 12 feet, and the tide was out when we arrived. This exposed broad sand flats that were once transited on foot. A castle was built at the river's edge for the ultimate in protection. However, it was never completed. It is quite nice, and today the grounds incorporate play and recreation areas. They were being well utilized today. Our stop here was brief, but allowed ample time to walk the Main Street and duck into a neighborhood. All were back on the coach on time.
Another beautiful drive took us to Conwy with stops to view bridges and islands as we drove along the river. Our approach to Conwy took us under the river. This afforded a more practical transit than a bridge due to the vast expanse of the estuary. Conwy is very compact with the 15th century castle dominating. It is at the river's edge as is Beaumaris, but it is far larger. It was completed and occupied. A rail line runs next to the castle today. It's bridge supports at the river are designed to complement the castle architecture. This is very effective and makes it hard to notice that the supports are not a part of the castle.
 |
| Conwy Castle - Towers on Right Support Train Tracks |
 |
| Conwy Castle |
Amanda spent 45 minutes taking us to several rooms or towers before turning us loose. Alice and I spent another 45 minutes in the castle before venturing into the town's busy streets. They were very busy and very clean. We enjoyed wandering and wondering what this must have been like 550 years ago. All too soon we were back on the bus, but we agreed that the visit had been complete enough.
 |
| Conwy City Center |
Another country ride took us to the town with the longest name. I won't even try to spell it, let alone translate it. It is a local invention for the purpose of attracting tourists. It works. Across the parking lot from the train station is a huge souvenir emporium. Ca-ching Ca-ching.
 |
| Longest Town Name |
Soon we were back at the ship. We were very satisfied that we had experienced another fine Holland America excursion.
July 26, 2015 - Ifracombe, England
Today we woke to a deluge. This is tender port with many steps to exit the pier. We are exhausted from the lack of sea days, so we opted to stay onboard. Alice tried to catch up on crafts and photos. I spent the day happily working on this blog. I managed to get to the arrival in Dublin before it was dinner time. I worked in the Crow's Nest forward on deck 12. This affords a good view of the very small town, when rain is not pelting the windows,
July 27, 2015 - St. Peter Port, guernsey, Channel Islands
This charming port is affiliated with the UK, but not in the same way as Scotland and Wales. They have their own currency, which is not recognized elsewhere. We were warned that if we received Guernsey pounds in change, we would have to spend them here or keep them as souvenirs.
This is a tender port. On the ride in we spoke to a woman who said that for 1 pound there is a local bus that circles the island in about an hour and a half. We decided to pursue this, but first we had to negotiate a very steep ramp from the tender to the pier. The tidal change exceeds 12 feet and the tide was out. At the pier I noticed a water level marker on the edge of the break wall at the entrance to the sailboat harbor. We could see that the water was 1 foot above the concrete base of the entrance. None of the sailboats could leave now. Alice documented the water level with a photo, and we proceeded down the pier. At the pier end a volunteer offered assistance. We asked about the bus. Indeed for 1 pound we could circle the island. It would be bus 91 or bus 92. One went clockwise the other went counterclockwise. He was not sure which was which, but he pointed out the bus info kiosk, and we were on our way. At the kiosk we learned that the driver would sell us tickets and we did not need exact change.. He also gave us a bus schedule and route map. We headed toward the bus stop. The queue was over 40 people for the 10:40 bus. We had seen a bus and knew this meant standing room. We decided to walk the town and come back later.
We walked for an hour and a half. The town is charming.
The island is in the English Channel closer to France than England. Most people speak English, but some are French speakers. The first shop we entered was a florist. We admired the blossoms. I wanted to learn how often fresh flowers arrived and from where. The shop keeper spoke French with broken English, but we did learn that flowers arrive every Wednesday. They come from Amsterdam and she orders through a broker who buys for her at the largest flower auction in the Netherlands. If you have Rick Steve's DVD on Amsterdam, he does a bit on the auction house. Today is Monday, and the blooms look bedraggled. We did not see any price reductions.
Walking on, we passed the usual array of clothing and jewelry stores. Finally we visited the cathedral. It had beautiful stained glass windows. So what else is new. In this case it is a very nice children's play area at the right front of the cathedral.
 |
| St. Peter Port Shopping Street |
 |
| A City of Ups and Downs |
At our walk's end we returned to the bus stop. It was 1:15. After using the free toilets we got in line. We thought we were number 1, but when the bus arrived we were the 3rd couple. The driver took my British 5 pound note and gave me 3 Guernsey one pond notes. We would spend them later. This was the 92 bus. It would proceed counterclockwise, so we sat on the driver's side. To get the seaside view.
What a marvelous ride this proved to be. The coast changes continuously. The rock varies in color. The sand ranges from beige to pink to white. There are defense bunkers still standing along the coast. Greenhouses abound. Some are commercial ventures. Others are private, used for growing vegetables. Still others are failed ventures lying in ruins. The houses are beautiful. Even the smallest ones. The airport is modern, and later from the ship I saw several jets land.
 |
| Beach and Bunker from Bus |
Our bus ride lasted almost two hours. It was delightful.
We walked back to the pier. On the way we noticed a sailboat leaving the harbor. The tide had com in. The water mark on the sign was. Now just under 4 meters. The water had risen about 13 feet. Alice took another photo to document it. The ramp to the tender was now at a gentle angle. The ride back seemed smooth, but exiting the tender was rocky.
Alice woke with a bad headache today. She medicated and fought it all day. Now it was time to try to sleep it off. She was a real trooper to struggle through the day, but she would not have missed it. She went to bed and asked me not to look in on her until after dinner. When I did, she was still in pain. I went to the entertainment alone. When I returned to the cabin she was sitting up and reviewing tomorrow's schedule. It was 9:00. We went to sleep.
