TUESDAY, 7/8/14
Before we move to the ship for our cruise, we decide to visit the Anne Frank House. The museum opens at 9:00, but the lines are usually really long, so we leave the hotel at 7:50 am. It’s not a long walk and we arrive about 8:05. There are already 30 people in line in front of us. It’s raining, and we’re excited to spend the next “almost hour” under an umbrella. It’s actually not too bad. We enjoy watching the crowd, and listening to the stories of the people around us.
The line behind us for the Anne Frank House, 15 minutes to opening.
The museum opens at 9:00 am. It’s worth the wait! There are displays and video shorts as we move from room to room, gradually moving to the top floors where Anne Frank and her family hid. There’s not so much stuff that a visitor is overwhelmed. Knowing the story, and actually walking through the rooms where it took place heightens the experience. We have a “brush with celebrity” when Judy notices Rick Steves, of National Public Television and National Public Radio travel show fame (“Rick Steves Europe”) in the coffee shop. As he leaves the building with a camera crew, more and more people recognize him, and he moves away pretty quickly.
After we finish, we walk back to the hotel. We finish packing and roll our 5 suitcases to the lobby. They get us a taxi and off we go to the cruise terminal. Checking in is quick and easy. We’re on the Celebrity Constellation. The cabins aren’t ready yet, so we explore a little, then grab some lunch. The cabin is really nice. As expected, it’s larger than our Tokyo hotel room.
Coming out of the river, heading out into the North Sea.
The rest of the day is spent unpacking for our 12 days aboard ship. We’re looking forward to storing the suitcases for almost two weeks. Dinner is wonderful. We consider taking in the evening show, but it doesn’t start until 10:15 (4:15pm EST). I guess if someone is coming from the US, no problem. For someone coming from China, the clock is working against us (4am Beijing). Bedtime, no show!
WEDNESDAY, 7/9/14
We slept well last night, in spite of what we are told were rough seas (50 knot winds, and 5 meter seas). The captain assures us that as we exit the North Sea later this morning, it’s going to calm down considerably.
We have a day at sea to figure out the ship and where things are located. It’s a big ship, with over 2300 guests. There are some really nice places to hang out. We begin to spot some places to “camp out” and enjoy the views while we cruise. By the end of the day, we’re getting around the boat pretty well. It’s been 14 years since we last took an ocean cruise (Yangtze River Cruise doesn’t count). There are lots of nice amenities, and the food is terrific. I’m going to have to work to spread out my food fantasies over 12 days, and not take care of all of them today.
We make it to the theater for the evening show. It’s a “movie extravaganza” of music and dance. The show is put together well, and the performers do a nice job. After the show, it’s a quick trip to bed to prepare for our long day tomorrow in Berlin.
