POST - RIVER CRUISE #1

"Amsterdam was a great surprise to me. I had always thought of Venice as the city of canals: it had never entered my mind that I should find similar conditions in a Dutch Town." - James Weldon Johnson
AMSTERDAM, HOLLAND - April 4, 2014 (Part 2) 

The Andaz Amsterdam Hotel Was Perfectly Located In Prinsengracht  Area Near A Beautiful Canal.

Front Of The Andaz Hotel  As Seen From From The Canal Walkways. 

Another View Of The Front Of Andaz Hotel.

Side View Of Andaz Hotel W/ Bikes And Canal Nearby.

Anothe Side View Of Andaz Hotel.

A Beautiful View Of Andaz Hotel And Nearby Building & Rowhouses From Across The Calm Canal.

Rhod W/ A View Of Andaz Across The Canal.

Ebb W/ View Of Andaz And Cruise Boats Across The Canal.

One Of The Cruise Boats Along The Canal Named "See Amsterdam." We Already Did The Canal Cruise. We Preferred A Walking Tour By Ourselves This Time.

Lets Walk Leisurely Around The Neighborhood Of Prinsengracht. Let Me Paint One Of Those Magical Springtime Moments Along The Canal.   

Another Beautiful Walking Moment Along The Charming Canal.

An Inviting Gold Bicycle Parked Along The Canal.

How About A Bike Ride Along The Canal? We Preferred Walking Instead And Lingering  On The Canal view. Amsterdam Was Handsome At Springtime. 

Beautiful View Of The Canal And Tower Near Our Hotel. Amsterdam Was Lovely At This Time Of the Year. Ahhh.....Spring! Spring!

A Different View Of The Canal, Boat And Tower. Felt Like The "Small World" Of Disneyland, U.S.A. But This One Is A Real Setting, Not  A Fantasy Image. 

A Momentous Moment In Time As The Incoming Boat Was Captured Through The Lens Of Our Digital Camera.  

A Nice View Of The Bridge And Building Along The Canal.

Another Nice View Of The Bridge & Buildings Along The Canal.

Medieval Rowhouses Along The Canal. During Our Springtime Visit, The Landscape Was Very Lovely. Amsterdam Started To Smell Of Refreshing Green Leaves And Exploded In A Green World Of Emerald, Sage, Lusty Charteuse, Neon Green, etc. 

I Smiled Upon Seeing This Familiar  Scene Of The Drawbridge Which Immediately Reminded  Me Of Vincent Van Gogh Oil Paintings About "Langlois  Bridge." He Painted This Drawbridge Many Times While Living In Arles, France. This Subject About Drawbridge On A Canal Reminded Van Gogh Of His Unforgettable Homeland.  

Walking Along The Narrow Streets Of Prinsengracht W/ Cobblestones Pathways & Browsing Through Cute Boutiques.

Spectacular Springtime In Amsterdam. What A Lovely View Of The Bridge And Budding Trees Along The Canal! Amsterdam In Spring Felt A Bit Like The Beginning Of A Crescendo. There's Music Humming On The Air. The Longer Spring Days Painted A Colorful Canvas In Amsterdam And The Netherlands. Trees Appeared As If They've Been Outlined With A Lime-Green Highlighter As They Finally Started To Leaf Out. What An Exciting Time To Be Here In Holland! 

"Part of you died each year when the leaves fell from the trees and their branches were bare against the wind and the cold, wintry light. But you knew there would always be the spring, as you knew the river would flow again after it was frozen....." - Earnest Hemingway

We Capped The Day W/ A Delicious Chinese Dinner At China Town In Amsterdam.

After 10 Days Of Feasting W/ Cruise Fare We Missed Our Own Native Food. At Least Asian Cuisine Will Satisfy Us. So Here We Were At This Chinese Restaurant Named  Nam Kee. The Food Was Delicious & Authentic. We Ate Peking Duck, Shrimps Chow Mein And Beef W/ Brocolli.  Yum! Yummy! 

Days Were Longer At Springtime. Here's A Reflective View Of The Amsterdam Canal At Dusk.

Amsterdam Was Still A Very Busy And Beautiful   City At Night. The Reflections On The Water And Canal Reminded Me Of Van Gogh's Oil Painting On The Rhone River In Arles, France. Van Gogh Thought That The Night Was Far More Alive And Richly Colorful Than  Day Time.

“I often think that the night is more alive and more richly colored than the day.”  ― Vincent van Gogh