Had we known at the time that it would be the last "big trip" for such a long time we might have done some things a bit differently, but I can't imagine what that might be.
As the flights worked out it made more sense for us to fly round-trip to London, with a separate round-trip from London to Amsterdam for the cruise. We departed July 25 on our way to London, arriving the morning of the 26th. Based on the brief nature of our London stopover we opted to stay at the Hilton Heathrow - Terminal 5.
Our flights were pleasantly uneventful and we managed a fair bit of rest despite our economy seats. The food was unremarkable, which is to say it wasn't horrible, nor was it worthy of praise. We passed through immigration without incident and made our usual stop at M&S Simply Food for a "useful" snack to help fill the gaps created by schedule fluctuations.
We stumbled our way to the hotel shuttle (The Hotel Hoppa) and were whisked off to the Hilton in quick order. Check-in was seamless and we were quickly in our room, showered, and down for a nap.
Dinner that evening was with our good friends, the Fergusons, at one of our London favorites, The White Horse (aka The Sloaney Pony to locals.)
Transport from the Hilton to Parson's Green was a bit more convoluted than anticipated.
The shuttle from the hotel back to the terminal, where we could hop on the Piccadilly Line, took longer than expected, then the District Line from Earl's Court to Parson's Green was experiencing delays. Rather than wait out the delays we headed to the curb and I ordered an Uber to cover the last leg of the trip.
While I have no recollection of what I ate, I can say that if it was at the White Horse it was, at worst, quite good. More than likely it was excellent. The company, as always, was excellent, and I enjoyed a few pints of proper ale.
We stayed entirely too late, anchored by good conversation with wonderful people, yet the night ended much too soon. Still suffering from jet lag we made our way back to Heathrow, where we discovered the shuttle was no longer running, and ended up springing for a cab ride since the route was far from pedestrian-friendly. We collapsed in to bed and slept fairly soundly, given the disruptions of time-zone bingo.
The next morning, 27 July, we grabbed a satisfactory full English breakfast in the hotel restaurant before heading back to the terminal to catch our flight to Amsterdam.
Check-in with British Airways for the final leg of our journey to Amsterdam was the epitome of British efficiency, as was our security screening. There was a short delay for boarding at the gate, but otherwise the trip was uneventful and we arrived in Amsterdam within a few minutes of our published arrival time.
We arrived at the Hilton Doubletree mid-afternoon to discover a lobby littered with suitcases and what appeared to be a couple of large tour groups waiting for rooms. A promise from the desk clerk that our room would be ready quickly, and we'd be alerted with a text, sent us off to the hotel restaurant for a snack and a beverage. Time waiting was well-spent investigating potential dinner venues. After well over an hour with no update on our room I returned to the hotel desk and was met with sincere apologies and a room key.
The proprietor was kind and incredibly accommodating, offering us a delightful table overlooking the water and bringing us noshes and water while we perused the menu.
We chose two different fish dishes and a ridiculously tasty and equally affordable bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. We proceeded to have a relaxing evening under cool, clear skies, watching boat traffic pass by. The summer months, combined with the northern latitudes, provide an extended twilight that seemed to help with the time zone adjustment.
July 28: A surprisingly sound night's sleep had us up and about, ready to explore the city. We completely missed the mark on tickets for the Anne Frank Huis, so we sought out other highlights to enjoy, with stroopwafels high on the list!
As is the case with most of us who don't live in bicycle-centric communities, there was an initial learning curve concerning the "weird sidewalks and paths" which was short and, thankfully, incident free. Having visited Munich a few times previously we weren't oblivious - it's just one of those things you don't think of until you hear the distinctive "ring-ring" warning of an approaching bicycle. A quick leap to the safety of the sidewalk (from the bike path you were strolling down in your ignorant bliss) is a reminder that you're not in Kansas any more, and resets your awareness. For the duration of your stay you become expert at pedestrian/bicycle etiquette and even assist the occasional clueless tourist in navigating the system.
vanWonderen is a small, cramped corner shop that offers different sizes, an assortment of toppings, and not much other than the most delicate and delicious pastries I've ever tasted.
Each wafer-thin stroopwafel is freshly cooked, then sliced in half longitudinally using some form of ancient magic and a blade honed by dwarven metalsmiths. After making this impossible slice the cut sides are coated with your choice of spread (caramel is traditional) and then dipped and coated with toppings, if you like. I opted for the traditional simplicity of a plan stroopwafel with caramel spread. Lourie opted for a bit of chocolate topping with a sprinkling of chopped nuts. Both were absolutely delicious!
We spent the rest of the day walking the canals, looking at shops, and enjoying the incredible weather before heading back to the hotel and getting dressed for dinner. When I started researching things to do in Amsterdam I read a snippet about a small restaurant that held a Michelin Star. As I discovered more about the restaurant I learned that the chef's philosophy was that good food should not be outrageously expensive, it should be attainable by those of average means. A recent review describes Restaurant LaStage perfectly;We were greeted by a delightful hostess and led to a table at the center rail of the balcony, overlooking the entirety of the modestly-sized dining room and just above the kitchen. Our server introduced herself and inquired about food allergies and aversions. We opted for the tasting menu, which was modified for Lourie to accommodate the dietary restrictions imposed by her transplant status, with the wine pairings.
On our last day in Amsterdam we enjoyed a nice breakfast at the hotel, then enjoyed a casual stroll to the embarkation point for our canal cruise. Our cruise with Flagship Amsterdam docked just in front of the Anne Frank Huis, making it easy to locate. The cost was about €20 per person, and they offered a bar on the boat with a la carte pricing.
We grabbed a quick bite for dinner and spent the evening re-packing in preparation of joining the cruise ship the next morning.
On 30 July we took an Uber to the cruise terminal, just a few blocks away, and experienced one of the most efficient boarding processes ever. In almost 30 years of cruising this was the first time we ever "walked on" to a ship. From curbside to setting foot on the ship was less than 15 minutes. While taking a cruise out of Amsterdam is a bit of a production, the process itself could not be simpler!
