Our Amsterdam Adventure

Erlinda and I decided to sleep in on the next to last day of our adventure.

The bed was very comfy, and we had our trusty tape player, where we listened to Desire of Ages tapes, narrated by the very dramatic Mr. Samuel Tsoutouvas.

We'd decided to take a tour of the countryside, but I can tell you--after such a busy week, it was challenging getting out of that bed. We felt like staying there forever.

When I managed to get up, I noticed that Erlinda had laid out by the window some of the souvenirs, knick-knacks and such that she'd collected on the trip.

They were all destined for friends, family, and our china cabinet.

We finally managed to rouse ourselves and got out into the sunlight.

There are many, many bicycle paths throughout the Netherlands, as the residents use that mode of transportation a lot.

Our hotel is just to the right of this path.

Cycle paths like this are usually shared by bicycles and small motorcycles.

The hotel's shuttle bus collected and deposited its passengers on the basement level, designated as the -1 floor on the elevator.

By the way, our room was on the fifth floor. just to the left of the glassed-in stairwell in the upper right.

While we were waiting for the hotel shuttle to take us to the train station, I asked Erlinda to take my picture on the lawn across from the hotel.

Feel like strolling through this lovely expanse of grass? I wouldn't recommend it. It's festooned with little "presents" left behind by countless dogs, no doubt owned by hotel residents.

The Dutch love dogs, and they are not, apparently, required to clean up after them, as they would be in the U.S.

So all over Amsterdam we found evidence of the recent presence of pooches. Squish and squirm. Oh, well...

I don't know if you can make it out, but the driver seems to be having a grand time.

Or maybe he was just grinning for the camera, noticing in his rear-view mirror that I was shooting him?

Once we got to Schiphol airport we descended the escalator to the underground platform where our train awaited.

Many rail routes pass through the Schiphol airport station.

This futuristic-looking station was Amsterdam Sloterdijk, where we would change trains to go toward the city of Enkhuizen.

If you look at ground level, you'll see the tail-end of a train just arriving.

We would be headed in the other direction, north.

Also notice the many bicycles parked there by commuters, much the way one might park a car and take a train.

I took this shot because of the futuristic lines and curves.

Almost like something from a movie, huh?

Vertrek means "Departure." Times are always expressed in military time.

The train to Enkhuizen would leave at 3:24 p.m. and it would be a "Stoptrein" as opposed to an "InterCity" train.

Intercity trains stop only at major stations, while our train would stop at Zaandam, Hoorn, Bovenkarspel Flora, and elsewhere on its way to Enkhuizen. It would depart from Spoor 3 (platform 3), downstairs.

Now we're waiting for the Enkhuizen train, which is due at 15:24.

Erlinda looks like she can't wait, wants to get on with the journey right now.

Now what do you suppose this little cage is for on the train platform?

Shelter from the elements? VIP lounge? Or perhaps for smokers, like in some U.S. airports?

Wrong.

This is where you go if you're NOT a smoker.

It seems so many people use cigarettes in Amsterdam that you can't go anywhere without being surrounded by smoke. Well, here's your little oasis.

Well, the train finally arrives, and guess what? It's right on time, at 15:23.

It arrives just in time to load us up and depart on schedule at 15:24.

We found this kind of precision throughout the train system in Amsterdam.

Here's our first glimpse of authentic Dutch countryside, taken from the speeding train.

More country houses.

On the right, a set of cyclists wait patiently for us to pass.

I guess they go through this all the time, since trains pass here about every half hour.

In the countryside there seem to be church steeples everywhere.

I can't say how much attendance there is at those churches, but at least they're there.

Canals are everywhere.

It seems that every house has a canal near to it, or even right beside it.

These apartment buildings look quite modern, and the owners seem to have their boats right alongside.

Just a little farther along, in the same community, families turned out to walk their dogs (did I mention that the Dutch love their pooches?) and enjoy the playground with their kids.

Yes, I know, the playground isn't in the photo's foreground, it's off to the right, but this is the best shot I could get as the train sped along.

Pretty soon we got to Enkhuizen, where we noticed a curious thing next to the station: lockers.

It seems that people can lock up their bicycles and other belongings in lockers if they care to.

So here we were, finally, in Enkhuizen.

Look to the left and you'll see what looks like a sea of bicycles.

This is common at every station, and even in downtown Amsterdam.

People ride their bikes to work, dressed in their neat business suits, then park them in huge bicycle parking areas.

I think it's a great idea, don't you? You save fuel, costs, and the hassle of parking a car, and you get exercise in the fresh air, as well.

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So you're curious to see the actual city of Enkhuizen, aren't you? We'd like to show it all to you. Just check our next entry for a look at our tour of a beautiful area.