Tuesday, May 23. (Late Posting; Too much activity on the Rolf. The bar, where I usually do my work, was actually hopping every night.) Absolutely beautiful day. Kinderdijk is famous for it’s 19 18th century water-pumping windmills. The area is full of canals of various sizes. We took a restored canal boat to one of the more distant windmills, then got a tour and demonstration of the mill. Guide was very devoted towards answering all our questions. Quaint spaces inside, suitable for a family. Perhaps the oddest thing was that they have no running water. Dishes are cleaned in the canal. Canal water is boiled for drinking.

The riverboat has an outstanding crew. The cruise director is so cheerful and helpful. Only criticism is that she repeats everything at least twice, hinting that she thinks we’re inattentive (and some of the passengers most certainly are). The Captain is amazingly accessible, with an open door policy to the pilot house.

The river is crowded with shipping. Most cargo ships have at least one car on the roof. One had three. Lots of interest views along the river.

Monday, May 22. The transfer from the Ocean ship Jupiter to the Riverboat Rolf was not just painless, but also pleasurable. During the transfer of our luggage Viking took us on an excursion to an open air museum north of Amsterdam. Great views of windmills. Some birding opportunities. Nice shops, including demonstrations for making cheese and clog shoes. A very nice way to delay our transfer.

We arrived with our bags already in our rooms. After a too worrisomely fancy lunch (they couldn’t even make coleslaw without messing with the basic recipe), we headed ashore. Amsterdam is just a fantastic city. We mostly just walked, but it was a great time. Dinner was fine, though I had to ask for some adaptations.

The ship’s crew are a lot of fun. Should be a great week.