Dreaming of Northern Europe: Day 10 – Amsterdam, Netherlands

[Stewboy]

Thursday 17th August 2023

We were awoken again in the night, but this time it was the ship going through the IJmuiden sea lock on the North Sea Canal at about 3am.

Fortunately we got back to sleep, waking up again at about 8:30am. As usual I got coffee and milk, before returning to the room where we watched Monsters Inc. with Caleb. Eventually we got ready and headed up to deck 11 for Cabanas breakfast.


Breakfast

Following another delicious buffet breakfast we headed off the ship and into Amsterdam. It’s amazing to see a big cruise ship docked in the middle of the city, although it may soon become a thing of the past as Amsterdam City Council has voted to ban them and close the cruise terminal.

Our plan was to take a stroll over to Anne Frank’s house and then probably head back to the ship. The walk took us across lots of pretty bridges and alongside the famous canals. Unfortunately Caleb wasn’t happy today and moaned a lot which did put a little bit of a dampener on it.
















Amsterdam

We got to the street that Anne Frank’s house is on but it was very busy so we crossed the bridge and saw it from the other side of the canal.

It had taken us about 50 minutes to walk there, and the time was now about 11:30am. We decided to head back to the ship so that we could have some lunch.


Anne Frank’s house


Walking back to the ship

After a pleasant walk through the city (the weather was lovely today too) we were back on board and ready for lunch. It was quieter today as a lot of people were out and about exploring the city and probably in that massive queue outside Anne Frank’s house!

With lunch finished it was Caleb’s nap time. While I put him down, Isabella went off to do some crafts. When she was done she came back to the room and did some reading while Jo and I went for coffee in the Cove Cafe as we had a free coffee on our loyalty card.

After coffee I swapped with Isabella again and she went off with Jo to do another crafts class in the D Lounge.

While I was sitting in the room with a sleeping Caleb there was a knock on the door – it was one of Isabella’s friends from the Edge looking for her. I (quietly) explained that she wasn’t here.




Hot dogs are her favourite!




Cove Cafe


Crafts pt 2

Jo came back with milk for Caleb and some chicken tenders for me – her and Isabella had already had some after crafts.

Caleb eventually woke up ready for the evening’s entertainment! We put on his Mickey Mouse outfit and then headed down to the lobby atrium to meet Mickey. On the way there we met Daisy who stopped for a ‘chat’ and a photo.




Mickey and Daisy

When it was Caleb’s turn to meet Mickey he spotted Goofy (his favourite) meeting on the floor below and he was more interested in Goofy than Mickey! Mickey and Caleb managed to get Goofy’s attention – it was funny and very cute!

After eventually getting some photos with Mickey we heeded straight down to meet Goofy for more cuddles and photos.

Following that we went back to the room to get ready and had a drink in the process. Isabella joined us and we were soon ready for tonight's dinner at the Royal Palace.






The two Mickey’s spy Goofy




Mickeys




Mickey and Goofy


Opening a can of Whoop Ass!


Royal Palace

Unfortunately the menu wasn’t great tonight – it was the Captain’s Gala Menu – here’s what we chose:

Jo: Baked Oysters on the Half Shell (With Spinach, Onions and Bacon, topped with Buttered Breadcrumbs) / White Onion Soup (With Caraway and Smoked Salmon) / Fettuccine with Parmesan Crusted Chicken (Chicken encrusted in Parmesan Cheese, with Sweet Peppers and Mushrooms in a Cheddar Cheese Sauce) / Raspberry Vanilla Crème Brûlée (With Lemon Madeleines)

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White Onion Soup


Fettuccine with Parmesan Crusted Chicken


Crème Brûlée

Me: Baked Oysters on the Half Shell (With Spinach, Onions and Bacon, topped with Buttered Breadcrumbs) / Braised Oxtail Soup (With Spinach and Roasted Garlic Tortellini) / Pan-Seared Venison Medallions (With Marinated Red Cabbage, Potato Croquettes and a Port Wine Juniper Sauce)


Baked Oysters


Venison Medallions

Isabella: Smoked Salmon Timbal (With Smoked Trout, Dill and Horseradish) /
Fettuccine with Parmesan Crusted Chicken (Chicken encrusted in Parmesan Cheese, with Sweet Peppers and Mushrooms in a Cheddar Cheese Sauce) / Russian honey cake (layered with butterscotch cream and vanilla bean sauce)


Smoked Salmon Timba


Russian honey cake

Caleb: Minnie's Mini Burger (Served with fresh Vegetables and Steak Fries)

Caleb was being annoying at dinner and didn’t eat much. We had the iPad with us to keep him occupied but he wouldn’t watch it or play with it properly and kept annoying Jo.

I finished my dinner quickly (no dessert for me) and took him out of the restaurant where we saw Goofy arrive so we joined the short queue and met him again for the second time today!






Caleb meeting Goofy for the second time today

Jo and Isabella finished and while Jo went to get Caleb’s bag so that he could go to nursery – we’d decided to try him after dinner today – I took him up to deck 11 for an ice cream.


Caleb likes Ice Cream

Caleb thoroughly enjoyed his ice cream and was ready to have some fun at the nursery. Isabella had gone off to Edge, so after we dropped him off Jo and I went to the Skyline as we’d yet to have a drink there that wasn’t part of a tasting.

After browsing the really cool interactive menu we chose the following drinks:

Me: Paris 75 (Grey Goose Le Citron Vodka, Peach Schnapps, Blue Curacao, Pineapple Juice, Sugared Rim, and a Souvenir Glow Cube)

Jo: Zen-Chanted (Kissui Vodka, Patron Citronage, Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice, Guava Juice, Sparkling Sake, Sugared Rim, and a Souvenir Glow Cube)






Paris 75






Zen-Chanted

Along with the drinks we also got some free bar snacks which were nice.

The Skyline bar is lovely and features a screen behind the bar that changes between different city views every 15 minutes.

We had a nice relaxing time enjoying our cocktails and once we were done we headed up on deck for a bit to enjoy the view as the Disney Dream travelled along the canal back towards the North Sea. There were lots of people watching and waving as the ship passed by, including two fire engines with their lights flashing – it must be quite a sight to see a ship this large travelling along the canal.




Leaving Amsterdam

Making our way back below deck we had a look in the shops and Jo bought herself a Disney Dream Spirit Jersey.

Jo and Isabella were going off to the Walt Disney Theatre to watch comedian and ventriloquist Paul Zerdin – he’s been on tv a lot and Jo and I actually saw him on the Disney Magic many years ago.

I headed back to the room while Jo went to the theatre to meet Isabella. I got the room ready for Caleb then went to get him from the nursery. He’d had fun running around, laughing and playing and the ladies in the nursery said they wanted to keep him – maybe they wouldn’t have said that earlier in the day!

Back at the room, he had his bath and went to bed. I showered and read my book in bed.

After the theatre (Paul Zerdin was apparently very good) Isabella went to Edge and Jo went up on deck to watch the ship going back through the IJmuiden sea lock. She was up there for about an hour watching it – she couldn't get over the fact that a ship of this size could get through that lock!










IJmuiden sea lock

When she returned she brought me a hot dog for me which I ate while she showered, and then we both read until Isabella returned, after which we all went to sleep.

Tomorrow we are in Zeebrugge and we’re heading off on an excursion into the nearby city of Damme.

TFR