October 5, 2015

October 5, 2015

The alarm sounded at 7 a.m.  We were already moored at Kinderdijk, Netherlands. We went to the dining room for a buffet breakfast where there was a choice of sausages, bacon, tomato, fruit cups and you could order custom omelets. We saw two empty places at a table and joined the Minnesota couple, from last night, a Chinese couple for St. Louis, Missouri and a couple for Detroit. After breakfast we returned to the cabin for our jackets and audio receiver.  There is a charger in each cabin with two audio receivers for use on tours to better hear the guides who have audio transmitters.  You do not need to stay close to the guide to hear the information.  When exiting the ship you need to get your pass card from reception and return it when you board the ship so that the crew will know when all the passengers are aboard.  When going on a tour you also need to get your tour card. The ship is pre-divided into four groups for the tours. You give your cabin number and get your guest pass and tour card when leaving on an excursion.

Today’s excursion is a walking tour of the Kinderdijk Windmills which is a UNESCO World Heritage site containing 19 windmills. The smallest, a polder windmill moves water from the field into the canal that runs into a larger canal until the water reaches a pumping station near the river to pump the water over the dike.  The polder dike was constructed in the mid 1600s, the other windmills were built in 1738 with a brick exterior and 1740 with the wooden exterior.  There is a museum windmill to climb the ladder stairs to get to the upper levels and see the living quarters and see what life was like centuries ago.  The other windmills are lived in by volunteer families who take courses on how to maintain the ancient windmills. Step count 4189. When we returned to the ship the staff was waiting with hot tea flavoured with honey, lemon and cinnamon.  All groups were back at the ship within two hours and we continued our journey. Before the safety drill, we passed the 135 meter long Johann’s Arc, but we were not on the right side of the ship in time to see it.  At 11:30, the intercom advised everyone that the safety drill with mandatory gathering, with lifejackets, at your assigned meeting place was to begin. We were all assembled within 10 minutes which was a speedy drill.  We stayed on the Sun Deck to walk the 12.75 laps to add another mile for the day. When we finished walking around the track, the day’s total so far was 6.75 km.  We heard the noon sirens as we passed a town. We are cruising on the Waal River in the Netherlands, and later joining the Rhine River during dinner.  Lunch followed with a buffet pasta and salad bar and entrée and dessert ordered from a menu with complimentary wine or beer or soft drinks.  Each of the three levels has a complimentary 24 hour beverage station to get coffee, tea, hot chocolate or hot water.  We sat with a couple from Florida and the program director, Claus. As we cruise the river, during the afternoon. There are twenty to thirty river freighters per hour passing going the opposite direction.  The sky is cloudy, but it is light cloud which the sun does not penetrate.  At 2, there was a presentation of the optional excursions, followed at 3 by a presentation about Dutch Water Management followed by Dutch tea time at 3:30.  There was a choice of teas, little sandwiches including cucumber, and small slices of a dozen kinds of Dutch tortes and cakes.  We went up to the Sun Deck to walk another 1.5 km.  Although overcast and a light breeze due to the ship’s movement, at 17 C a jacket was necessary.  We passed a town that had an   amusement fair with rides including a ferris and a four storey roller coaster.  As we passed Nijmegen, we took a picture of their impressive church. We returned to the cabin to update the blog, before going to the Lounge at 6:30 for the Captain’s Toast to the Guests.  Shortly after that, Claus, the program director gave a commentary on Tuesday’s itinerary. The ship was close to the Netherlands Germany border. Then, everyone went one level down to the dining room for dinner.  We sat with the same three couples as last night and ordered Tossed Salad with fresh figs for an appetizer; Chateaubriand or sea scallops & bacon with potato and for dessert Strawberry shortcake or cherry torte. The couple from New York state celebrated their 30^th wedding anniversary. At 9 Claus gave a 30 minute presentation on the Golden Age of the Dutch, much of what we had learned in the last three days.  At the end, the audience sampled two kinds of Gouda cheese and each had a shot of Jenever (Gen-eve-er). We sat with a couple from South Carolina who round dance and had a nice conversation with them after the presentation in between dancing to the pianist’s playing.  We danced for an hour before returning to the cabin.