Disney Magic cruise ship: maiden call in Amsterdam

May, 2017 -- Earlier this month I went to the nearby IJ river (pronounced somewhat like 'eye') for a nice morning walk.

The IJ is a busy waterway, connecting the Northsea with the port and city of Amsterdam, and connecting both with a large chunk of Western Europe.

In addition to cargo vessels, tourist tour boats, public transport ferries, and pleasure crafts, the IJ also sees many cruise ships. And on this particular day I was fortunate to catch the Amsterdam maiden call of the Disney Magic.

The Disney Magic on its maiden call to the city of Amsterdam - Photo by Anton Hein.

There's a lot of discussion in Amsterdam about the negative impact of tourism, because the number of tourist visiting the city has boomed to such an extent that the city has started to look like theme park.

Nevertheless, I do enjoy the sight of these huge ships arriving right in the center of town. They moor at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA) just to the East of Central Station.

Anton Hein

Amsterdam: Mildest December in three centuries

Amsterdam has just experienced its mildest December month in three centuries.  Quite a change from the December months I remember from my youth.

In fact, most recent winters have been relatively mild.  Some years it has hardly snowed.  And more often than not the canals are not frozen over.

Iconic Amsterdam: Prinsengracht with bikes, houseboats and the Westertoren. Photo by Anton Hein.

This photo, taken in January 2013, is of the Prinsengracht.  In the distance is the Westertoren -- the tower that is part of the Westerkerk.  Though connected, it was built later than the church itself, and is in fact a separate entity.

If you've read the Diary of Anne Frank you know the she notes hearing the bells of the Westertoren from within her hiding place.

I was born on Prinsengracht, the outermost of Amsterdam's famous 'ring of canals.' My parents had a small houseboat, similar to the ones in the photo, that was moored right across from the tower.

I still very much enjoy walking along this picturesque canal and in the surrounding neighborhoods.

- Anton Hein

Squatting banned in the Netherlands

Detail squatted house in Spuistraat - Anton Hein

Tolerated since the early Seventies as one way to alleviate a serious housing shortage, the Netherlands recently banned squatting.

While the original squatters had the sympathy of many Dutch citizens, in recent years the squatting movement became increasingly anarchistic -- making it impossible to continue tolerating its practices.

Update: the squat in this building was ended in 2015, and the building has now been razed.  Legal wranglings 

Rasta Bike

Colorful bike by Amsterdam-based company - Anton Hein

Seen in Amsterdam, the city of bikes.

I get a kick out of the fact that this colorful bike is a product of a company known as 'Het Zwarte Fietsenplan' (The Black Bike Plan)

The truth about Amsterdam

Cool video, this. It's a now-famous response to the lies Bill O'Reilly told about Amsterdam.