The last of the tulip fields drifted by our boat around 7:30 this morning, so in this case it was true that “You have to get up pretty early in the morning” to see the flowers! Now we’re on our way to Alkmaar, well known for the cheese auction that takes place every Friday in the main market square by the Weigh House. Our guided tour took us to the various parts of the city, which included many old buildings that have retained their original facades. Having the guide explain the meaning behind the various signs and carvings certainly added a lot of humor and understanding!
Alkmaar is a great place for shopping, and many of us took advantage of our time to put a serious dent in our financial situation. Back on the boat, it was a relaxing afternoon as we sailed into Amsterdam harbor. It was very clear that we had left the countryside behind. After yet another sumptuous dinner, some of us took an evening canal boat ride through part of the city. Evening rides are fun—the canal bridges are lined with lights and many of the larger churches and buildings are spotlighted. We enjoyed the cruise down the canals where many of the older buildings exist and have been made into apartments. So we did a lot of “window peeking” to see that some residents had left the original large chandeliers and ornamental patterns on the ceilings, while others had gone wild with huge splashes of color.