This morning
was set aside for alternative activities: we strode off to the water bus stop
and caught a ride to Biesbosch National Park, which is about five kilometres or
so back up the river. Still plenty of traffic about, but not our problem just
now. These six-barge monsters throw up an enormous wash, but the water bus
barely moved.
We had been told at the tourist office that the visitor centre was just by the water
bus stop – lies, all lies. We set off in the direction indicated, but it was
more than half a mile before we finally got there. Much grumbling, as may be
imagined, and threats to go home.
We decided
not to take an all-day river cruise, but rather rent a little electric outboard
boat for an hour to explore. The park was much more watery once and housed a
fairly unique culture. It is a bit like Everglades without alligators, or the
floating gardens of Xochimilco, in Mexcio City, without the ladies in punts
selling tacos and tortillas.
There was
actually not a lot to see, though plenty of birds singing invisibly, and some
energetic people rowing.
Then it was
back to the boat for lunch, and, catching the lift bridge, off to Rotterdam.
The departure was rather stressful, plenty of huge barges coming and going on three
converging large waterways. No indication of where anyone is heading. I’m sure they are
all talking to each other on Channel 10, but in Dutch, which is not much use to
us.
It was then another rocking and rolling ride down to Rotterdam, with spray coming right
into the cabin at times. Rotterdam is apparently the busiest port in the world,
and there are certainly some big ships here:
Including oil
drilling ships like this:
And some oligarch’s
weekend dinghy getting a polish:
Finally we
located our port, and they quickly lifted the bridge for us:
The
harbour master was on hand to direct us to a good berth and take ropes. To be
succeeded by this optimistic hostess (didn't see many more in the National Park):
Tomorrow
morning a bit of culture perhaps.
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