Amsterdam from the water

We went to Amsterdam for two nights, taking the 7am flight from Stansted and then train to Central Station. From there we put our luggage into lockers and went in search of food. We found a lovely little restaurant overlooking a canal and indulged in delicious applecake and coffee. Our plan was to take a boat ride on the canals so we made for tourist information and bought tickets and also a 48 hour tram ticket. We saw so much of the city this way and the old houses are beautiful. To our surprise we went past Anne Frank's house in a very central location. 

We then had a walk and a tram ride exploring a pretty square, the floating flower market and the view from the top of a shopping centre

We found it really easy to get around the city using the trams which seemed to come about every 10 minutes. A screen told us the next stop so no worrying about where to alight. Apart from the trams it seemed most of the residents cycled everywhere.

We found our airbnb easily from the instructions given by our host. We then had the hard part of climbing 4 flights of stairs! Our host was a friendly helpful young man who seemed to think it hilarious that 2 old ladies were using this sort of accommodation. He gave us instructions to a marvelous Turkish/Moroccan restaurant http://www.hotelbazar.nl/nl/restaurant-bazar-rotterdam/menukaart. The food was excellent,plentiful and cheap. The building was a big old church and obviously very popular even on a Monday evening. 

So ended a delightful day!

The Stort


I met my friend L this evening to attend the monthly meeting of Much Hadham History Society and the subject was the River Stort. The gentleman delivering the talk gave us lots of interesting information about the history of the Stort Navigation. I was particularly interested as the river is only a 5 minute walk from my home and I walk there most days with my daughter and her dogs. It is beautiful and always plenty to see from flowers and birds to the many boats both holiday makers and those who live on them. The speaker has a web site with all the information http://www.leeandstort.co.uk/
I have walked the length of the Navigable Stort at various times as well as the Lee which the Stort flows into and from there to the Thames and on to the Sea. I am so pleased to have this river so near.