When Sonya, my Jamaican-heritage, British-born, Dutch-marrying,
artist friend asked me if I wanted to take a boat ride with her and her
husband, Wik, I said sure. As it turned out, I didn’t understand the question.
What she really asked me was if I wanted to add one of the best experiences
anyone could possibly have as a short-term visitor to Holland. Let me tell you…
I realize that the names of the waterways won’t mean much to
you, and to be candid, without Sonya’s help I couldn’t remember them anyway;
but let me describe what I saw. Wik and Sonya live on the Ijburg, a man-made
island that faces the Markermeer, the open water of the IJ (the bay). Wik’s
boat is a thoroughbred and the trip across the bay was the home stretch of the
Kentucky Derby!
The pace slowed considerably as we traveled along the scenic
River Vecht toward the town of Muiden. The long wait for the lockmaster to open
the gates allowed us to explore the shops and taverns along the banks. (They
even had beer; imagine that!) Once through, we traveled along the Amsterdam Rijn
Kaanal toward Driemond and onward to the River Gein where we passed through the
tiny, tiny village of Abcoude. The canals were so small that we meandered intimately
past back porches as friendly on-lookers sipped favorite afternoon beverages. The
waterways reminded me of roadwork back home because we waited in single file
while the long line of opposite-facing boaters squeezed past before taking our
turn.
If I wasn’t real sure where I was relative to Amsterdam centrum,
I quickly reoriented when we reached the Amstel River at Ouderkerk—just a five-minute
bike ride from my apartment! Talk about your basic shock and surprise! I have ridden
my bike on the bike path adjacent to the Amstel many times, and to be on the water,
seeing the familiar landmarks was very special indeed. The Amstel is a major shipping
waterway, so you might imagine the turbulence caused by ocean-worthy vessels as
we approached Amsterdam!
Again, it was a very special treat to see the familiar historic
Amsterdam landmarks, but this time from the water. The Hermitage, the Nieuw
Kerk, Centraal Station—fabulous! It was soon back to the IJ, the Markermeer, and
back to Sonya’s. Many thanks to Sonya and Wik for providing an unforgettable memory.
Does that look safe to you?
No comments:
Post a Comment