Amsterdam’s labyrinthine canals are what this brilliant Dutch city is famous for… well, one of the things it’s famous for, and so getting to drive a boat for the first time ever, and through the canals of Amsterdam nonetheless was a pretty special experience!
Also, I know you ‘drive’ a car but when it’s a boat, is it still called ‘driving’? (I have no idea so I’m gonna stick with ‘driving’).
Needless to say, we didn’t start off the journey driving the boat. Wouter (whose family had owned the boat for several generations) started off the journey by taking us into the centre of Amsterdam.
Amsterdam’s canals are so familiar as we’ve visited the city many times in the past, but being on this boat showed them off in a new light! In the past, we’ve seen the canals from bridges, the side streets, and even from a commercial boat tour company; however, being on Wouter’s boat, we got to sit anywhere we wanted – which to us meant the place on the boat with the best view.
The first time I navigated my way to the front, it was definitely with some trepidation, but that quickly gave way to excitement as this was definitely the best seat in the house.
Amsterdam in autumn, by the way, is absolutely amazing! The colours are unlike any other time of the year, and the orange leaves, contrasting against blue skies makes for a rather impressive backdrop to the city.
Though I’m pretty sure we stood out like a sore thumb as we weren’t particularly subtle (and may have been standing, rather than sitting, at the front of the boat).
By the time we arrived at our destination for lunch (where I had a crash course in docking a boat), our hunger was only rivalled by our renewed enthusiasm for this amazing Dutch city.
