After a leisurely breakfast, we packed and checked out of our hotel. As we were doing so, I noticed a photo behind the counter that showed the hotel owners on each side of Bill Clinton. He stayed at the hotel many years ago as a long-hair bearded student, according to the owner. He stopped there a while back to revisit, not to stay.
We struggled to get our bags down the narrow stairs and out the door. We wheeled them a half-mile to the waterfront and left them on our boat. We could not get into our cabin yet so we went on another walk. It was Saturday so we decided to go to a local outdoor market. The weather was sunny and even warm in spots.
The market was huge with clothes, meats, cheeses, fruits, vegetables, breads, snacks, etc. we bought some really good apple pastries. After the market, we went back to the boat to see what bicycle equipment they supplied. Helmets and water bottles were included, so we did not have to buy them.
Lunch was at a small cafe where Ann had a ham and tomato toast which I had a hamburger with fries. Not too bad and not the best.
We wandered around the canals and killed time until it was time to officially board our boat. Our stateroom is fairly large with two single beds, a very small closet and a cramped but functional bathroom. There is porthole where we can look out but can't open. The staterooms are at water level while the main deck is above.
We had an orientation meeting where the crew was introduced - three women, a male captain and a male bicycle guide. There are 22 BAC members from various parts of the US. We followed the BAC custom of introducing ourselves.
For dinner, we had mustard soup as a starter. Pork chops, broccoli, cauliflower and potatoes gratin. Dessert was cherry cake. To settle our meal, we took a guided tour of parts of Amsterdam that we had not seen.
Bed time was around 11:00.
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