20/05: Made It!!!!
Category: General
Posted by: The Agnew Family
My cousin Yvonne and I made it to Amsterdam.
The hubbies drove us to the airport and got us there with lots of time to spare ---- in fact we were checked in, through security and at our gate by 9:10pm. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 11:55pm (last scheduled flight of the day) so we had lots of time to read and wander around.
The flight was good --- the plane was only about half full so Yvonne and I both had an empty seat beside us ---- yeah!!!! On top of all the room there was no turbulence --- another yeah!!!
Things changed a little once we were on the ground.The line up for the passport check was horrendous. There were 5 kiosks and several hundred people and the people didn't stop coming. We were in the line well over an hour. Once we made it to the kiosk it was quick --- the passport was scanned then stamped and you were off to the claim your baggage. Unfortunately, we were sufficiently delayed that our flight was no longer shown on the baggage board. I found a nice gentleman who looked our flight up and told us where our baggage was sitting. Grabbing the bags we headed out to the taxi stand. Guess what? --- another huge line. Luckily it only took about 20 minutes to get a taxi. When we arrived at the hotel we ended up in line behind a group that was checking in. I guess today was the hurry up and wait day. Nothing went wrong just everything went slowly.
Our hotel is in the West Park area of the city --- a short tram or train ride from downtown. By time we checked in, called home and settled in our room it was after 5pm, so we decided to find a local restaurant for dinner. First night in the Netherlands and we eat Italian! Pizza and salad for me, pasta for Yvonne. And what's even more interesting is there was not an Italian (or Dutch) among the restaurant staff.
Our hotel. XO Hotel West Park.
After dinner we went for a walk.
Here a bike, there a bike, everywhere a bike!!!! There was the road, the sidewalk and the bike road which was for bicycles and motorbikes.
Yvonne
We walked through a park that had a small canal. On the other side of the canal were these small homes or what we assumed where homes as they all had a lovely garden.
The hubbies drove us to the airport and got us there with lots of time to spare ---- in fact we were checked in, through security and at our gate by 9:10pm. Our flight was scheduled to leave at 11:55pm (last scheduled flight of the day) so we had lots of time to read and wander around.
The flight was good --- the plane was only about half full so Yvonne and I both had an empty seat beside us ---- yeah!!!! On top of all the room there was no turbulence --- another yeah!!!
Things changed a little once we were on the ground.The line up for the passport check was horrendous. There were 5 kiosks and several hundred people and the people didn't stop coming. We were in the line well over an hour. Once we made it to the kiosk it was quick --- the passport was scanned then stamped and you were off to the claim your baggage. Unfortunately, we were sufficiently delayed that our flight was no longer shown on the baggage board. I found a nice gentleman who looked our flight up and told us where our baggage was sitting. Grabbing the bags we headed out to the taxi stand. Guess what? --- another huge line. Luckily it only took about 20 minutes to get a taxi. When we arrived at the hotel we ended up in line behind a group that was checking in. I guess today was the hurry up and wait day. Nothing went wrong just everything went slowly.
Our hotel is in the West Park area of the city --- a short tram or train ride from downtown. By time we checked in, called home and settled in our room it was after 5pm, so we decided to find a local restaurant for dinner. First night in the Netherlands and we eat Italian! Pizza and salad for me, pasta for Yvonne. And what's even more interesting is there was not an Italian (or Dutch) among the restaurant staff.
Our hotel. XO Hotel West Park.
After dinner we went for a walk.
Here a bike, there a bike, everywhere a bike!!!! There was the road, the sidewalk and the bike road which was for bicycles and motorbikes.
Yvonne
We walked through a park that had a small canal. On the other side of the canal were these small homes or what we assumed where homes as they all had a lovely garden.