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Monday Nov. 11-Bruges

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The plan was to have a local guide for a 90 minute walk and then a canal boat trip. Toni and Lee did not go as the weather was rainy and neither felt up to a long trek with explanations. We did go out later in the afternoon to do some sightseeing and saw quite a bit, making a loop through two shopping streets. This picture pretty much sums up our feelings at the moment. "You want WHAT?" Square right around the corner from our hotel Main shopping square As you can see, the skies are grey and the roads are wet. We had umbrellas and it did not rain too heavily. Also, the square was being setup for Christmas. Bruges parking lot. Many centuries of building additions Wonder where this alley goes? On the walk, Lee went into St. Stanislaus church to look at the stained glass. The church was done in the Baroque style and was very striking. More so than the super-elaborate bigger churches to date. We found a really nice chocolate shop wh...
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Sunday Nov. 10-Delft and Ghent and Bruges

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55 of the 115 on the Great Rivers of Europe Tour were out of the hotel by 8:30 when our band of 13 heading toward Burges, Belgium. (Getting REAL tired of buses...!) Anyhow, 1 1/2 hours down the road we entered Delft. Yes, that Delft. Famous for the blue pottery. I thought I would be bored to tears with the visit/demonstration of the local Delft manufacture shop. turns out I was wrong. Bruges Extension gang Entering Delft, hell of a place to 'park' a bike Delft Square As we crossed a canal into the town, we walked along a street lined with shops, all closed as it was Sunday. The day was grey and cold but the town looked to be a jewel. Delft town hall on the square Delft church on the square Lots of stained glass windows, most looked pretty old Hmm. Next window piece for Florida? At the Delft pottery shop, Stephan (the owner) put on a demonstration of how the various pieces are made and painted. A painter was on site and demonstrating the ver...
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Sat. Nov. 10-Amsterdam

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 Got to the Jakarta Hotel in Amsterdam harbor area. Really a nice, modern hotel. Glass bridge between sides of the hotel Hotel interior. Outside view was the harbor Sounds like a broken record but we were breakfasted and out the door at 9:00 for a tour. This time the tour was by canal boat as Amsterdam is the "Venice of the North", or as Amsterdamers say "Venice is the Amsterdam of the South". Miles of Canals, twists and turns, bridges 1281 bridges in Amsterdam House boats Elaborate houseboats everywhere Life along the canal Typical tourist boat  After the canal tour, we waked to the ferry to cross the harbor and get into downtown Amsterdam. All around us were thousands of bicycles zipping along. There are 500 bicycles stolen every day and no one seems to mind. Several years ago, the government bought and delivered 50,000 bicycles painted white with the idea they could be shared among the citizens. Within two days, 50,0...
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Friday Nov. 9-Cologne

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Long day. To say the least. Up and off the boat at 9:00 for Cologne and the famous cathedral. 2 + hour drive through mostly boring countryside. The stop in Cologne was stupendous, primarily for the Cologne Cathedral. It is hard to put in words the sheer scale of the building, the 600 + years to complete, the blackness of the stone due to pollution, the stained glass windows (the glass would cover more than 2 football fields if laid next to each other. Sidewalk art outside Cathedral This building has to be walked around to be fully appreciated. Just part Hurt your neck to look up The inside of the cathedral is unbelievable. Large, cold, full of sarcophagus, candles, chapels, murals, and more. Best of all were the MAGNIFICENT STAINED GLASS WINDOWS!! Many had been removed at the beginning of WWII and replaced after the war. The Cathedral was never bombed as the Allies used the Cathedral as a landmark for bombing the rest of Cologne. ...
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