Mind the gap! A steady hand on the tiller was needed to steer this French cruise boat down the Schinkel.
A constant source of free entertainment is available from our Amsterdam balcony as we watch the bridge on the Overtoomsesluis open, stopping road traffic to let the boats pass.
The Schinkel, the canal below us, is the busiest working canal in Amsterdam. On weekdays there is a regular parade of barges, ferrying sand dredged from the harbour to places inland where it is more useful for building and land reclamation.
It’s only a few metres deep, and generally calm and flat, but oh, there are some impressive feats of helmsmanship on show. And there’s always something going on down there.
Dredging the Schinkel.
Scooping up dead bikes.
Party time on a sand barge.
We missed this one, but Thomas Schlijper was there on the night when a barge with a wingless 747 on board passed by.
Richard Tulloch's LIFE ON THE ROAD 
What a treat – especially the beach party setup 🙂
Yes, someone’s bright idea to create a mobile beach!
What a great view – I don’t think that I would ever leave that balcony!
Well, maybe to whip off to Greece or Spain every now and then, Andrew. The hungry blog must be fed.
Nice pictures and update! You are a great host for Amsterdam!
Well, we can’t have EVERYONE stay at our place, Carla, though we do have a fold-down bed for guests in my office.
My husband, I and our two grown children stayed on a houseboat on a canal in Amsterdam in 2008. It was great fun. Our houseboat was right where two canals met so there was a lot of boat traffic. Plus we had a pair of nesting coots outside the picture window of our living room. We are once again going to be in Amsterdam the week of June 17th. If you would like to get together for coffee/tea with us and meet one of the readers of your blog, let me know. 🙂 I think you must have my email address.
We enjoyed that view as well.
Now THAT’S a great barge! I love it. And you’ve got to have one of the best balcony views in the world. Thanks for the smiles. All the best, Terri
We like it. Thanks Terri and happy travels to you too. Will come back and see you sometimes.
Hi there dear brother-in-law (before I divorced my husband),
It’s great to read about my own Amsterdam through your Ausi eyes. As you know I lived near that bridge too. But I never saw those remarkable things with my A’dam eyes. It’s a gig. Well, we did Kings Day, what can happen to us anymore? We came through the best and the worst, you may choose in which order…..
Keep on writing, you were and are a tribute to us all (and me).
Love Jolanda
Thanks, dear former sister-in-law.
And we only live where we do, above the Schinkel, because we’d seen this apartment for sale while on our way cycling to your former house. So for that alone we are very grateful to you!