Amsterdam, Romantic Rhine Southbound cruise, and Barcelona with Manya

June 22nd to July 5th, 2024

My new adventure to Europe started with a KLM flight 162 from Vancouver to Amsterdam, on June 21st, 2024. 24 hours prior to departure, I checked online and upgraded to Economy Comfort hoping for extra legroom, better inflight service and, in my opinion, the extra legroom did not justify the stiff fee of $235 per seat. I decided to skip the meal service and slept until my arrival in Amsterdam. 

Clearing customs and immigration was a breeze, and although there were lineups, it took only a few minutes to get through them. Travelling with carry-on, I made my way to the train station located inside the terminal, bought a ticket for the Amsterdam Central station. The journey from Schiphol Airport to the Central Train Station takes only 10 minutes and costs only EUR5.90 one way. This is the fastest way and most cost-effective way to get to the city. 

From the station to my hotel, there were only 2 tram stops. So easy to get on and off those trams. All you do is tap your credit card on the way in and tap on your way out. The cost is minimal! Only EUR2. If planning on using the city transit system, buying passes will be a good thing. But as a walker, I loved discovering Amsterdam on foot. The weather was also perfect for that. 

My hotel, The Die Port Van Cleve did not disappoint. Located in the center of the city, by Dam Square, minutes away from all the historical attractions, such as Anne Frank’s house and the Museum Square. Lovely 4-star hotel, steeped in the 19th century history when the unique beer house, called Die Port van Cleve, opened its doors. You can see the many mementos of the era on the walls of this quaint little gem of a hotel. 

The staff is amazingly friendly and helpful. Lots of lounging areas, including a pub where people were watching the Euro Football matches. Very environmentally conscious, water is dispensed on water jugs and self-served with glasses available in the lobby. The Cozy twin room chosen, was indeed cozy for two adults, but so well designed that it didn’t feel too small. Spotless room and bathroom and very quiet despite the view on the back street. 

Where to begin and tell you how much I loved Amsterdam. 

Friendly, artistic, casual, welcoming. English is spoken everywhere and has become the first language spoken in restaurants, stores, and the communication is easy. Dutch is no longer as widely spoken, but the government is trying to re-establish the language in schools, and other business areas. 

And the canals! The outdoor bars at every corner! Eating pizza and drinking wine along the canals at sunset, watching the comings and goings of small barges, stopping to buy food and drinks. There is a bohemian and yet sophisticated vibe throughout the city. Narrow streets bursting with flowerpots, shrubs and greenery. And bicycles!! Everywhere. You must take care; the cyclists own the streets and will run into you if you don’t get out of their way. 

Small cafes with amazing coffee and pastries, not to confuse with the Coffee Shops where another kind of coffee is served. Amazingly, cannabis is still illegal in the Netherlands, but can be bought and enjoyed freely in the coffee shops. 

For an authentic neighbourhood, look to the northern part of the downtown core, on the Haarlemmerstraat, street where you will find the largest cheese shops of the city, vintage clothing, fruit and vegetables stores, and the loveliest salad and sandwich bars, serving amazing food, and at a reasonable price. EUR9 will buy you a healthy salad of fresh and roasted vegetables, served on a porcelain plate with real cutlery. No plastic bags anywhere to be found in those lovely eating places. 

Amsterdam is built on canals and has a significant economic impact on the city. There are 4 main canals, Prinsengracht, Keisersgracht, Herengracht and Singel that form a horseshoe design around the Dam Square. They are crisscrossed by bridges and “connecting canals” for easy navigation. Along the canals, are a multitude of outdoor bars and restaurants, flowers, and summer is enjoyed outside in Amsterdam.  

There are about 900.000 habitants in Amsterdam, with a growing population due to migrant workers mostly coming from Eastern Europe. Housing is a big problem which adds to the sharp increase in real estate prices. According to a report the waterways of Amsterdam generate billions of revenues each year, and support many jobs, such as canal tours, water taxis, canal-side restaurants and bars. They also have a big environmental impact on the city. The canals are used to transport goods and people, which in turn reduces the air pollution created by cars. Bicycles reign supreme in this amazing city, further contributing to the decrease of unhealthy gas emissions. Large tourist buses are not permitted to circulate in the city, for the same reason.  

“Recently, the noise of canal boats in Amsterdam’s waterways was reduced by introducing electric boats. The extra costs for using battery-powered boats are financially supported by the city government”. Smart city indeed. 

What to do in Amsterdam: 

Walking! Best way to see all those lovely streets and homes along the canals. 

- Take a canal cruise and see all the connected waterways of the city, in the form of a horseshoe around Dam Square. Some houses along the canals are leaning sideways and some forward. This is due to the erosion of the stilts on which they were constructed. It is quite a sight. 

- Walking tour of the Old Jewish Quarters is highly recommended. There you will find many plaques and a memorial wall with the name of every person deported during the Holocaust. The Dutch people do not talk much about this sad part of history. 

- Book a ticket to Anne Frank’s House. These tickets are very popular and must be booked online, on a Tuesday, 6 weeks before the date you want to book. These tickets are very hard to come by. It is such an emotional moment to think of what this family endured in hiding for 2 years during the 2nd World War. The house is now a museum and when you walk through it, you feel the souls of this family in it. This is a must do.

- The Museum District is amazing and can be reached on foot, about a 40-minute walk from the city center or by Tram. 

- Van Gogh Museum, for its amazing architecture and design. Tickets must be booked in advance, with entrance time and viewing allowed per person. The museum is well appointed and didn’t feel overcrowded during my visit. However, some of the famous Van Gogh masterpieces are in other European Museums. 

Other notable museums within a few steps away are the Rijksmuseum and the modern Moco, which I didn’t visit but are highly recommended by other travellers. 

On the way to the Museum district, do stop at Vondelpark, the largest park of the city is a must. Have lunch at the lovely outdoor restaurant, the Fork, amongst flowers and trees in the shade. Farm to table type of menus, such as the Burrata salad served on a bed of tomatoes and Arugula, drizzled with some really good olive oil. And for drinks, I ordered the most refreshing raspberry lemonade served in a mason jar. 

Do take a canal cruise to learn more about the waterways of Amsterdam and see when Van Gogh painted some of his work, as well as just taking in the architecture of this amazing city. 

On June 25th, I boarded Avalon Panorama for a 7-day southbound Romantic Rhine cruise. 

If you are as lucky as I am to experience Avalon Waterways Romantic Rhine River, you will love it. I embarked on the Avalon Panorama on June 25th for a lovely journey southbound to Basel. The Rhine takes its source in the Swiss Alps and terminates in Amsterdam, in the North Sea, some 850 kms of navigable waterways. 

Avalon Panorama was the first vessel on the Avalon’s feet to offer Panorama Suites. They are floor to ceiling, wall to wall windows, with beds positioned towards the windows, that gives the guests a view of the scenery while gently sailing up the river. It is quite an experience that I highly recommend.  

Upon embarkation at the Amsterdam Pier, your luggage is tagged to your suite, while you are directed to the lounge where you are welcomed by the crew with a glass of bubbly, and to meet other guests. Panorama lounge is where all the activities take place, such as morning yoga, continental breakfast, Happy Hour, daily briefings from the Cruise Director, as well as evening entertainment.  

My suite 307, on the Royal Deck 3, starboard side had all the conveniences of a hotel room.  200 square feet of space that feels larger than it is, due to lots of storage space, a sitting area with a small table that has two glass water bottles and glasses, replenished twice daily. A small TV hung from the wall opposite the beds. All suites on Deck 2 and 3 have beds facing outside. The bathroom feels large enough for two guests to move freely. It offers a large sink, a lovely shower with luxurious L’Occitane amenities. The air is controlled by a thermostat on the wall adjacent to the bathroom door. Amenities such as robes, slippers, and safety are part of the suite. Laundry service is offered at a small charge, and for security reasons, ironing is totally forbidden. 

Missing though are USB charging plugs that I was counting on. The electric plugs are European outlets at 220V, and not compatible with North American electronics. It is highly recommended to bring your own, as there are very few available on board. Each suite is allocated a housekeeping person, and mine was Morela from Hungary. Housekeeping is done twice a day, firstly in the early morning while breakfast is served between 7 and 9am. And again, in late afternoon, during dinner time between 7 and 9pm. 

At the other end of Deck 3, you’ll find the Club Lounge, accessible by all guests, but hardly used, which suited me fine. That is where I retreated to enjoy quiet time with a nice cup of herbal tea and to read and send my emails. Water and water glasses are available throughout the vessel, and this is a mandate by Avalon to be environmentally friendly and go away with plastic. 

The Sky deck is where you go to sunbathe, weather permitting, or play games, use the hot tub, or just relax while enjoying the view while sailing. Some guests ride bikes or walk around and around!  

On the first day, the crew was introduced to the guests. Ziggy, the captain is from Romania, while other members of this crew are from Hungary, Poland, Turkey and the chef from Egypt. Our Cruise Director Extraordinaire, Maria Pascual is Spanish with a Swiss and German efficiency and a Latina heart of gold. English was widely spoken, and the staff was amazing. 

Meals are served buffet style in the 2nd deck dining room and offer a variety of meat dishes as well as some Vegetarian dishes, salads, cheeses, desserts and wonderful breads. All the cooking and baking is done on board. Wine was served generously throughout lunch and dinner. Cocktails, bubbly and wines are also served during Happy Hour. And lots of water is available everywhere, as well as specialty coffees and teas. Water bottles are highly recommended and can be borrowed during the cruise. Plastic bottles are prohibited. 

Avalon Waterways is an all-inclusive cruise line, which means all your meals, alcoholic drinks at meals and excursions are included. Not included are gratuities that you can prepay at time of booking or add at the end of your stay. Tipping is not expected by staff members but appreciated, especially by your server or your cabin attendant.  

Although the cruise starts in Amsterdam, the e Romantic Rhine portion of it, begins after Cologne, on day 3 of the cruise. From Koblenz to Rüdesheim, you sail by 34 castles and 50 UNESCO Heritage sites, green hills and vineyards. Spectacular scenery. 

One of the most scenic and a bit challenging passages for the vessel is the Lorelei Rock. 

The Lorelei is a 132-metre-high, steep slate rock on the right bank of the River Rhine in the Rhine Gorge at Sankt Goarshausen in Germany, part of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Roses are grown at the bottom of the vineyards, which helps produce grapes free of lice and gives an organic wine. 

Cologne is not what I remember from my early age, visiting with my parents. It has become a large city, busy and seemed a bit unfriendly. However, the architecture of the old city and the Cathedral are worth the stop. The evening entertainment was provided by Groove Band, a lively group of young musicians who made us dance to the top 40s. 

Rudesheim, day 4 on the other hand was delightful, despite the 30C temperature. 

I skipped the optional excursions and walked in this idyllic little town and took the cable car to the top of the hill for a breathtaking view of the Rhine and the vineyards. There, standing very tall, is the imposing Riedewald monument, dedicated to the reunification of Germany in the 1870s after the Franco- Prussian war. Riesling wine is widely cultivated here and was served during dinner time. Avalon Panorama was docked overnight, which gave us the time to enjoy this lovely town. It was lovely to sit in a garden and to listen to a small band while enjoying a glass of chilled white wine. Here’s how this works to enjoy a glass of chilled wine in this lovely garden. You “rent’ a glass for EUR3, pay EUR9 for the wine, and when you are finished, you return the glass to the bartender who gives you back the EUR3, provided the glass is returned intact. Brilliant idea. The evening entertainment was provided by ”La Strada”, a string trio of very lovely young women who played a variety of classical tunes. Absolutely perfect!

Day 5. Docking in Mainz.
This was a full day tour to the lovely town of Heidelberg with its historic castle ruins. A very hot day and a very crowded Heidelberg, and that took away some of the pleasures of seeing this fairytale city. I opted for the included choice of the Philosopher’s Walk with our adventure host, Vali. There was nothing poetic about this walk with 32c heat, and steep stairs to get to the top of the walk. Just to have a stunning view of the Neckar River banks and the whole of Heidelberg. We learned that Heidelberg is home to the oldest university of Germany and the largest employer of the region. On the way back to the ship, we drove by Mannheim, well known for its history of car and bike making, home of the first car built by Benz.

Day 6 – Strasbourg.
Pouring rain! Sunday. All stores are usually closed, but being the first day of summer sales, some stores did open their doors.

Strasbourg is where the European Parliament sits, in the Grand Est Region, formerly known as Alsace, and includes Colmar and Mulhouse. Strasbourg has been German and French for centuries and is now a French and important city for France and the European Union. 

trasbourg’s Petite France is a beautiful quarter, full of restaurants, pubs and souvenir shops.
Flower baskets line the railings along the waterways. Must go back and explore this exquisite little French town.

Day 7 – Breisach, and July 1st A Canada Day Celebrations.
I purchased the Excursion to Colmar, a between the Rhine and the Vosges mountains, a lovely blend of German, Swiss and French little town. It is the capital of the Alsace wine region, and this piqued my interest of course, as well as the architecture, its maze of cobblestone streets, its historical buildings and monuments. It is also the birthplace of Frederic Bartholi, who created the statue of Liberty. 

The afternoon took us on a drive to Freiburg’s medieval university town and we were given a lesson in sustainability. Most houses have solar panels to supply electricity to households and businesses. Spotlessly clean, Freiberg is sheltered by the Black Forest, amongst gardens of the upper Rhine, and tons of vineyards. Lovely streets lined with art boutiques, flower shops, cafes, shops of all kinds. The rain put a stop to our wandering, and by the time the group reached our bus, we were all soaked to the bones. 

On board that evening, Canadian flags were hung everywhere and although there were only 16 of us from Canada, a huge Canada cake was served in celebration of our beloved country’s anniversary. 

All good things must come to an end, and on July 2nd, we sadly parted ways with Avalon in Basel. Taxis were pre-ordered and at 9am, I was driven to the Basel/Mulhouse Airport to my next destination: Barcelona. Unfortunately, due to illness, the trip to the city was less than pleasant. 

Luckily, Majestic Hotel and Spa offered all the comforts of a luxurious hotel in the heart of the city. My junior Suite with a view of Passeig De Gracia, has a bedroom and a living room with a pull-out sofa. Breakfast was served daily on the 1st floor of the hotel, between 7 and 11am. Huge display of egg dishes, cheeses, sausages, pastries, breads of all sorts. 

Walking the very crowded La Rambla is overwhelming.  

Hop on Hop off bus is the best option to see all the major attractions of this amazing city. All the Gaudi buildings, such as Familia Sagrada, Park Guell must be booked in advance. Luckily, the day before departure, I was able to get tickets to the Casa Milo La Pedrera, a block away from my hotel.

05 July – Chaos at Barcelona airport despite checking online the day before. It took more than two hours to go through the check-in and security process, which resulted in missing out on Duty Free shopping and one bag not arriving in Vancouver until July 12th. 

One thing I noticed is the long walk / distance from the Amsterdam domestic to the international terminals. It is important to have a lot of connection time between flights. 

The flight crew on KLM 651 from Amsterdam to Vancouver were exceptionally kind and professional. The flight crew was always passing through the cabins to offer water and snacks.