Day 6: Windmill village and board cruise boat

Today is the day we board the Avalon Visionary river cruise boat for our “Romantic Rhine“cruise to Basel, Switzerland.  We drop our luggage at the designated hotel for transfer to the ship then take a train to Koog-Zaandijk and walk to the nearby Zaanse Schans windmill village.  Yes, a mouthful to say and I find it best to just have it wrote on a piece of paper to show the ticket agent where I need a ticket to!  Had a nice stroll around the village and a bad experience trying to have lunch at the Pancake House there.  No need to go into details here, but I will review on trip advisor when we get home, but do not recommended this restaurant at all!  We still had a lovely time visiting the village.

Ship was ready for new passenger arrivals when we returned from the windmills and we got checked in, met officers/crew and had a nice dinner.  Only 120 people on this cruise and it is a nice change from the usual big boat cruises we take with 3,000 people on board.  The river is only 9 feet deep, so emergency drill is to proceed to top deck (3^rd floor) in event of emergency because you will be above water.  Nice room and bigger bathroom than expected, nicer than a regular cruise ship!

We are cruising with 13 people we meet a few years ago on our Princess British Isles cruise and 4 friends of our group.  Nice reunion cruise and a double retirement celebration as Virginia from Alabama retired on March 1 too!  Marge, we are thinking of you and wish you were here with us :)

Along the way to Zaanse Schans Windmill Village

Inside a saw mill windmill

Smallest house in Amsterdam: one window wide because long ago taxes were based on street frontage

Anne Frank House the shortest white trimmed flat roof

7 Bridges

Amsel Canal in Amsterdam

Domino's has bike delivery in Amsterdam

Top deck of our boat

going down big canal on way to Rhine River

Coming out of first lock of trip