Monday, April 08, 2013

Viking's Grand European River Cruise: Amsterdam

 
 Viking River Cruise, Day 1:  Amsterdam (Facebook collage)

Most of you know by now that Amsterdam is just an hour's drive from where we live here in the Netherlands.  That's why starting our Grand European Tour there was no big deal for us.  We've already been there a hundred times!  It helped that we didn't have to fly there from America, Canada or Australia, like so many of our cruise friends.

However, we knew we'd have the afternoon to go see something we hadn't yet seen:  the Python Bridge, built in 2001. 

We rode the train from Gorinchem to Amsterdam, and started looking for our ship in one of 3 possible docking locations behind Central Station.  Lo and behold, there it was in the first location, just a 10-minute walk from the station:

See those 3 longships in the top image?  The middle, white one is the Viking Idun, our ship.
If you're familiar with the Muziekgebouw aan 't IJ sitting in the water, with its long entrance ramp,
we were docked just a stone's throw away.
It made a good photo op for our first impressions before sailing.

It was a one-hour slow walk from the boat to the Python Bridge,
passing many photo ops.  You know me and architecture, right?

This Python Bridge is a 300-ft. pedestrian bridge, built in 2001,
linking Amsterdam's Sporenburg area with Borneo Island.
It won the International Footbridge Award in 2002.

 It was a nice way to start our river cruise, seeing something new in Amsterdam!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
My goal is to keep posting each cruise day as soon as I have the images ready (instead of my usual once-a-week posting).  So, chalk up the first and easiest day of our cruise!  :)


12 comments:

  1. What an incredible bridge! I would have been there ALL day photographing!

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    1. Believe it or not, Robin, it's very understated in its environment, which surprised me. It's just in the middle of a neighborhood with lots of apartments full of children. Can you imagine growing up with that! And it's on the other side of the IJ from city center...where not many tourists go. In a way that's nice, I guess? :)

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  2. that is some bridge. why haven't i seen that footbridge before in any photos online?

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    1. As I just told Robin, it's very understated in its environment, which surprised me. It's just in the middle of a neighborhood with lots of apartments full of children. Can you imagine growing up with that! And it's on the other side of the IJ from city center...where not many tourists go. I'm surprised I had never heard of it either except for just before our cruise...and I have been around Amsterdam for years now. A real mystery.

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  3. Our first day 'on the cruise', was a great day. This bridge came as a total surprise. We had a great walk through an un-known part of Amsterdam. I was glad I was able to do the walking, being sick before the cruise.
    You did a great job, those collages give a great overview.
    Love the selective colouring.

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    1. This is definitely a part of Amsterdam that's new to me, too, MLMA. I thoroughly enjoyed having one goal for that afternoon and not packing in anything else. It was a good way to start the cruise, especially on the heels of you being sick. Hartstikke bedankt!

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  4. The technique you used on the last photo... leaving the Python bridge red is outstanding! Now I'm off to read you V&V.

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    1. Thank you, Margaret. That's "selective coloring" and is something I really enjoy doing whenever I get the chance. :)

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  5. That's really an awesome bridge! Following you two on your river cruise has convinced me that this is something I want to do one of these days!

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    1. Start saving your nickels and dimes, Susan, and just do it! I would love for you and Larry to experience such a grand trip before you kick the bucket. :)

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