Boats and boats and boats.

Holiday Inn Express, Rotterdam Netherlands

Water taxis are essential to quick traffic in the Rotterdam harbour. We took one to the Hotel New York, which is the former Holland Amefrica Line head office building. Coffee on the outside patio and people watching. There is a cruise ship at the pier. It has a German name and we can her German spoken around us.

The traffic of boats never stops in this harbour. The Maas is a constant flow of taxis, rhineboats and everything in between. We watched as a pair of unusual dredge boats went by. They were too high for the Erasmus Bridge and eventually the traffic had to stop as the bridge went open for the boats to pass.

We took a water taxi back to the city centre. These things speed around like speed boats on a lake. We were over the Maas in five minutes. A short tram ride and we were back at the hotel.

We decided to stay in for a meal, so Lee went for a quick walk to the Stadhuisplein to get some subs. Yes, Subway is here. It is 6:30 pm on a Friday night and the cafes and pedestrian walks are jam packed with people. Citizens here absolutely support their local eateries and watering holes. So good to see.

Our weather has been something of a marvel. Our skies have been clear blue for days, the sun giving me a breakout of freckles and a wee sunburn on my forehead. Not complaining, and not ready to leave. An interesting souvenier is going home with us too. The info brochure for the WaterTaxi ferry service that shares information to see the 65 stops in Rotterdam.