As the saying goes, “Amsterdam to party, Den Haag to live,
Rotterdam to work.”
With the largest port in Europe and one of the busiest ports
in the world, this city of more than 1.3 million folks lives up to the famous
adage. The importance of Rotterdam’s port is owed to its central location.
Lying near the mouth of the Nieuwe Mass Channel, which is formed by the Noord
and Led rivers in the North Sea, the port offers quick and easy access to the
center of Europe.
The city has worked very hard to rebuild its skyline after
the World War II bombing of 1940. Honestly, we were both amazed. If top-notch
shopping is what you’re looking for, head to Witte de Withstraat, where high
fashion boutiques line the streets. Don’t
get me wrong - we didn’t spend a dime, but very easily could have!
The weather was, by far, the most pleasant we’ve experienced
since leaving Boston. In shorts & sandals, we walked at least 6 miles, a
record for me since my stroke about a year and a half ago. With a high of 72-degrees for the day, we
even made it over to have lunch on a ship named after the city, and one we
actually sailed on about 30 years ago in Alaska – just months before the ship
was removed from service and turned into a hotel. Unfortunately, nothing onboard
looked familiar to us, but the furniture was definitely dated.
After lunch, we were both so sore & tired,
we decided to take a water taxi back to our ship. Truly a great day in the
Netherlands – a most impressive city!
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