NETHERLANDS

December 8th 2017
Today we head off to the Netherlands and our last 2 stops before home. We are getting tired and looking forward to seeing our family and our beloved Ziggy dog.We still get excited at seeing new places, but I think we will need a few weeks of doing nothing when we get back.
It is very cold and frosty this morning, most of our travel is on freeways today until we get to the small town of Lunteren where we are spending 2 nights. We wanted to see some of the countryside before heading to Amsterdam. There are huge rest stop cafes over the freeways which I guess is fairly common in Germany and throughout Europe, always makes us laugh that they serve alcohol at them as well.
When we arrive at our Airbnb it has been quite wet and some snow as well, so quite a slushy driveway .It is quite a small unit, ok for 2 nights I guess, we have just been very spoilt with beautiful places to stay most of the trip.It's always good to get inside and in the warmth no matter what the place it like, but unfortunately the heater seems to be broken so the owner frantically finds us a portable heater that does the trick. A nice hot cuppa always helps as well.

December 9th 2017
We wake to quite a heavy snowfall overnight, we are told it is quite early in the season, car is covered in ice and snow, glad we bought that ice scraper way back in France. We should have known it was a sign of things to come.
After breakfast we decide to have a look around the area and head to the main street. There was a lady on a mobility scooter going down the middle of the slushy road with mud and slush kicking up, we laughed so much I could hardly take a photo, but I managed.
There are some lovely houses and lots of farms around, saw so many donkeys in one paddock, they must be freezing.
We can see a windmill so go and have a look and find some families there with their childrens on sleds, I guess with the first snowfall they are excited to get out and it's the only place in town that has the slightest hill. It makes for some very nice photos. We also find a indoor market, and there are quite a few stalls, we talk to one of the stall holders who has a daughter visiting Australia, there is always someone who seems to have a connection with Australia. Gary bought a pair of really old, wooden ice skates, no idea why, but he wanted them. So much for watching the luggage weight going home!

December 10th 2017
Off we go to Amsterdam, not knowing quite what to expect. Well our place to stay is most extravagant of our long holiday, and why not for the last place. We are staying on a renovated barge, not far from town. There is a bit of snow around still and we stop at an antique fair we see a sign to. Unfortunately its now snowing too hard to have a look around outside but there is a lovely warm cafe.I always get excited when it snows, but after seeing all the slush I can understand why people dont like living in it all the time.
We continue on and it is getting quite heavy and there are heavier falls forecast. The speed limits have been reduced on the highways so at least we won't have cars flying past at 120klm+ I am a bit scared, but I have complete trust in Gary's driving. One car goes past us a bit fast and we can see a few cars up he has slid into another car, luckily he had slowed but once you brake hard, that's it .Idiot! They are off to one side so we dont get held up but that make everyone drive a bit slower which is good. It is really blowing hard as we get into Amsterdam, we find the boat and drop our bags off as we are taking the car back as we won't need it here. The boat is pretty spacious and lovely and warm, its a bit of scary entry as there are 2 boats parked side by side and we have to walk across a plank on the bow of one boat to get to ours. Glad the friendly owner offered to help with the suitcases.

December 11th 2017
We woke to lots of snow against the windows, so pretty to look out across the buildings and other boats. It is so warm and cozy on the boat and plenty of room, lovely hot shower, tv and couch and kitchen with all we need.We walk into town and there is still lots of snow around, have to be very careful walking. so glad I bought my Aldi snow boats, they have been great and so warm. Lots of shops have Christmas decorations and the canal houses and canals are really pretty.Lots of nice cafes to visit, well the ones that aren't oozing smoke that is, lol. We decide to take short canal cruise so we can see a bit more of the area, it is starting to snow but we can still see pretty well Lots of canals and boats have Christmas lights on them as they have a big Lights festival a bit later in December. As we get off the cruise it is getting a lot heavier snow, I decide to grab some supplies from a little supermarket and by the time I come out its blizzard conditions. We have never experienced anything hit that quick, my hands are really cold even with gloves. We hear that freeways are being closed, the public transport will stop and the airports have been closed and it is a blizzard. What a surprise that we are in the middle of it, we have no choice but to walk back to the boat , cant wait to get inside and try to warm up. What a day, we won't forget that. It is romantic though, snowed in on a boat with beautiful city lights.

December 12th 2017
It is a beautiful morning, the sun is out, there is still lots of snow around and the boat is covered in snow. After a nice hot breakfast we walk into town, the canals look so nice in the sun. There are lots of shops to look at quite a few cheese making shops that have lots of samples. They are all so nice and nothing like we have tried at home, so delicious. We get 2 blocks to take home and a few little souvenirs. We see a shop advertising the best chips in world so we get some and they are nice, but the best ,not sure. There are lots of nice parks that would be good for a picnic in nicer weather and not covered in snow.
We head back to the boat for coffee and a rest as we are going out for dinner tonight. On our way we stop at a beautiful Art Deco building that used to be a shipping company's headquarters and is now the Grand Amrath hotel. The doorman lets us in to take a few pictures inside, really spectacular, such great workmanship. After a rest and change of clothes we head out to have a lovely dinner in an Irish Pub, big servings to warm us up before our walk back to the boat. We could sit and look out the windows of the boat all night, it is so nice seeing all the lights shining off the water and to be so nice and warm inside with a hot chocolate.

December 13th 2017

Tonight will be our last night, before the long journey home. We have all day tomorrow as the plane leaves at 10pm but we need to be packed up and out of here in the morning. We can leave our cases here while we have a look around so that's good.
Today we visited the Banksy exhibition at the Moco centre which is a lovely old building in itself, it was quite different to the usual art exhibition and Gary enjoyed it a lot. A different perspective on all things, some to really make you think. There is a big area called Museumplein around the museums for sitting a relaxing, a cafe and ice skating rink, with a few kids on it today. I has been raining a bit and there is still lots of snow around. We decide to head back to the boat for a quiet night and to finish our packing and weighing of bags.
It has been a great experience sleeping on a boat and even with the extreme weather conditions it has been warm and cosy.

December 14th 2017
Well it's nearly over, excited to be going home, not looking forward to the long flights at all. It is the worst part of any holiday. Amsterdam has been a surprise for me, far nicer than I imagined. I would love to go on some bikes rides to explore the areas just a bit further from Amsterdam, in better weather though.
It is a lovely clear morning and we catch a ferry across to the other side of the river ,Amsterdam North, to a building that has an observatory on top. It's a quick trip up the 100 meters in the glass top elevator, complete with LED coloured lights, lol. Fantastic views across the landscape, we are lucky it is a bit clearer today and no rain at the moment. there is a ride where you can swing out over the side of the building, no thanks. We grab some chips for lunch and sit beside the canal, where there a a few live on boats.We catch the ferry back and wander around the city for a while, stopping for a nice coffee and cake.It is already getting dark and we see a nice Christmas tree lit in the town square. Time to get our cases and our taxi to the airport, we will have time for a bit to eat when we get there, we always prefer to be early in case of delays along the way. We have tried to dress so we can peel off layers as we go, leaving here in freezing conditions to arrive in Brisbane to about 28c
Well goodbye Amsterdam, I am sure we will be back one day.

After a very tiring journey home, it was great to be back home. The warmth hit us immediately though only early in the morning. One very excited Ziggy dog, he was beside himself and wouldn't leave us alone. We are so grateful to Kate who stayed at out house and babysit Ziggy the whole time, this trip would not have been possible without her as we would not have boarded him for the nearly 10 weeks we have been away.
It has been the most wonderful adventure for both of us. We have stayed in the most beautiful and interesting places, from boats, wineries, Italian farms to cruising for 4 nights, and an old Prague palace like apartment. It took alot of research and a lot of time but it has been more than worth it.We have journeyed on an Italian steam train, ridden a horse through a beautiful vineyard on a misty morning and stopped at so many amazing vineyards and cellars that are
many hundreds of years old eaten at so many cafes, and met friendly and helpful people the whole trip. We have witnessed mass protests in Barcelona, blizzards in Amsterdam, got fined for driving up the wrong street in Prague and the cop wanted cash on the spot, lol
How can I not mention the most memorable event of this whole trip to renew our vows on our 35th wedding anniversary at the most beautiful French church high in the French alps at Chamonix. There were quite a few tears that day and not just us, but our wonderful photographer Therese and celebrant Barbara shed a few too.
Gary definitely has mastered the art of getting suitcases and bags into cars, the funniest being the Fiat 500 soft top in Barcelona he insisted on booking and me telling him there was no way our two huge cases and bags would fit. He made them fit.
Well until the next time.