Canal Boat Tour and more wandering Amsterdam

We wandered to the bigger supermarket which I found out today is the same chain as the one at the Van Gogh museum, then went out of the mall to find the Albert Cuyp market just there so walked it again and Bruce got more Stilton cheese and apricots. 

I had two missing buttons off one blouse and one off another so looked for a sewing kit which grocery stores and pharmacies don’t carry. We did stumble on an incredible store if you sew, it had the wee kit, and everything from A to Z in the way of sewing products, if I sewed I’d be in seventh heaven and was anyway, even though I don’t. Knowledgable clerks attended to the "real" sewing people in the shop, link  http://jandegrotekleinvakman.nl/

We were both pleased with our findings and came home across another canal. A lot of walking for me but so very interesting, today. 

Quite the building isn't it?

Note the crown on top of the lamp post, the City is renewing them on every post here. 

Lunch at the seafood place again and we are asked if we can be joined by other people, tables are quite small and close together, same as in most cities in Europe. A couple of ladies joined us and were speaking a language I didn’t recognize until the waitress came out and spoke to them, it was Dutch! Wait a minute, here I am in Amsterdam and didn’t recognize the language, why? Because I hadn’t heard conversations in Dutch before, small bits, but not entire conversations. Anyway they ordered a cold seafood plate to share and it as big as the grilled one we saw last week. Funny, they were offered bibs which even I picked up on, understood, said yes and took what I think will be a memorable picture, wine held, food, and bibs, not an everyday experience. We supposed after you got around all the shells it would be a reasonably sized lunch, presentation at this place is well done, an upmarket restaurant with both tourists and business people as clientele. 

Wednesday and it rains all day but we got lucky and went out for lunch of pea soup, different this time but good, while it stopped for a bit. 

We walked  in a different direction twice on Friday, in the morning along the  backstreets, houses are old and beautiful, had a very mediocre lunch at a Japanese restaurant who shall remain nameless, big chain, should  have taken clue from that. Very opulent inside with chandeliers and buddhas, in my opinion they should have spent more money on the chef’s. Anyway after lunch, more strolling and we find the restaurant and nightclub section, streets full of cafes of all different nations but  lots of Italian and one Tibetan, Indian and Nepal restaurant called Sherpa. We looked at the menu there and since we’ve never eaten Tibetan or Nepal food we’ll be going back to try that out, especially the Tibetan momo which is a small dumpling, proprietor was really nice too, always a bonus! 

Found these two, pays to look up! From the Blues Brothers movie, left John Belushi, right Dan Aykroyd

Bruce has been to Bourbon Street in New Orleans, he says it's the place to go for great jazz from 30's and 40's eras. 

We found the jewelry making district, mostly handmade and expensive naturally, I enjoy seeing  these works of art and will buy on occasion if I find piece that I really like, but didn’t that day.

Tried the momo’s at Sherpa, and they  were delicious but I found the wrapper on a couple of them a bit thick, okay so I’m picky. Proprietor was really nice and explained everything to us, saw him serving other customers the same way.  It’s a  go back to place for us, but while we were waiting for the kitchen to open we sat at an Italian restaurant of which are many along the street, this one had an extensive menu which would be good to try, and wasn't. Further walking and it seems the streets are divided pretty much by type of food on  offer, steak and hamburgers down one, makes me wonder how to choose without using a rating company.

There are many groups of fellows walking the  streets, I think Amsterdam is a city to hold stag parties due to the red light district, the ability to smoke pot in some cafes and the easy nature of it being okay to drink a beer in the street if so inclined.

Walked into Vondelpark Sunday and two fellows were sitting on a bench, one came over three times to get a light for his bong, he said they don’t make them like they used to, keep going out. Went to the seafood bar again, I felt like I’m missing out on veggies so had a small salad. we sat next to a couple from Seattle, talkative and interesting.

We took a canal tour, I don’t know how many tour companies there are but many, we took Blue Boat. Honestly I think I probably have 50 or so bad pictures from it but did enjoy it immensely. Enjoy the following pictures.

Paddle boats for rent.

Look at those gabled windows and the bikes which look like this everywhere

These shutters indicate traditional "burgher" architecture, built for trades people who worked and lived there.

Magnificent sailing ship

Tower built for defence on the outer wall of the City

Look closely left one leans into the right, it happens here more frequently than you'd think.

https://www.museumkaart.nl/museum/NEMO+Science+Museum.aspx

We saw the NEMO Museum, fantastic looking building, the green is caused by copper plates.

There is no food or drink on this boat so I made up egg salad sandwiches and we took soft drinks. After we went to the Irish pub for a pint and I eavesdropped on two men talking advanced methods of farming.  

So that is the "lite" version of our thoroughly enjoyed boat tour and a bit about the neighbourhoods we've seen here.

Cheers, Bev, Bruce and Lexi Cat