Rotterdam 5th October. After
we had had breakfast it was decided that we all would take a run ashore. The
ships Master very kindly arranged a taxi for us for 10:00 AM. Rotterdam is one
of the worlds largest ports so we certainly needed transport. After the trip
into the main shopping area the two German ladies went off together to do their
own thing arranging to meet back at the same place at 300 PM. The three of us
when to look around some of the shops to get some music etc., to fill the
background in the cabin.. We also wanted to find and Internet cafˇ so we could
check our mail and keep the family and friends informed of our progress. We were intrigued by the
cycle tracks. The road where we were consisted of footpath cycle track one way,
raised path where it seemed ok to park, road way one way, two tram tracks (or
light rail?) one each way, then repeat road, raised path, cycle in other
direction and footpath. The footpaths were very wide. The cycle tracks even had
their own traffic lights marked for cyclists. Every so often there was very
long cycle racks with lots and lots of bikes parked (and chained) and locked.
We were looking for a post office so we could get the right stamps to post back
to NZ. I saw what I thought looked like a likely looking building, Duncan said ŌNo
way! That looks like a Museum, and we are NOT going to a Museum today!Õ guess
who was right. It was a beautiful building, made to look like what a Post
Office should look like. Unfortunately they wouldnÕt change our dollars to
Euro's, so I had to look for a bank. After running around asking a couple of
people firstly if they spoke English and them telling me to go to the building
just down the road with ŌRBSÕ on it a very helpful gentleman pointed it out to
me ŌABSÕ on the front the A missed something in the pronunciation. Finally it was time to go
meet up with the ladies and ring a taxi to go to the ship. The company we used
to come into town didnÕt have a five seater available so they sent a cab from a
different company. Unfortunately the driver didnÕt know the docks, didnÕt know
the system for passengers to get onto the docks and worst of all didnÕt know
his way around the docks. Of course
he got lost. He was not a very ŌHappy ChappieÕ at all. When we said we
could we could see the ship, he said he couldnÕt drive through there, and would
we walk. It only looked a couple of 100 yards. What we couldnÕt see was that it
was the other side of the wharf and the other side of the water. At least a
half mile walk. Walking around a container port is very dangerous, now there
was 5 not very ŌHappy ChappiesÕ and the Taxi gone. Duncan went over to where
they were loading another vessel and made a few enquiries and a shuttle driver
said he would run us round in his van, so all was saved, and we had a happy
ending to an eventful trip ashore. 7th October. So we sailed around 12:15 AM this morning and we are now on our way again, next stop La Spezia. We will loose our Brixham Pilot this evening so that will |