Winding through to Weesp

While we had our coffee – no sign of the gale force winds forecast – we saw another of the Dutch navy ship leaving - t  the patrol boat Zeeland, helicopter at the ready on the aft deck:

We stopped briefly for a few supplies - not much needed now with only a few days left of our cruise, but wine was running short – and this time we were able to tie up right beside the central station, where there is a small but just adequate supermarket. Lots of boats have left after the week of festivities. Then we turned into the east dock, which is where the Amstel starts:

We were a bit worried about the height of the bridges, but managed to get through all without problems:

Amsterdam has many, many houseboats lining the canals – apparently it was a policy at one time to encourage them to relieve a housing crisis, and now there are more than 2,500:

It was a delightful cruise down the Amstel. (or more properly up, since it is upstream, even if heading south).

Plenty more houseboats and charming canal-side facades:

Also the famous Amstel Hotel, now owned by Intercontinental. A great luxury 19^th century pile, where room rates apparently start at 589 euro. The “special” rate for US government employees is 1,160 euro. Glad I’m not a US tax payer!

All the same, it seems the General Manager sends a personal letter to everyone who comments on the hotel on TripAdviser: not a bad marketing ploy!

After emerging from the city, we turned off the Amstel, heading east across the Rhine-Amsterdam canal to Weesp. We have been here before, but we have to retrace some of our steps to get to our winter resting place. We found a good mooring, just before the sunny morning turned to rain. But only a shower, I think/hope. (Just had another one while writing this.)