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Touring the Canals of Amsterdam

davidl5012

Now that we have recovered a bit from the flight, wonderful though it was, I am awake enough today to write a little. If you are more interested in pictures than verbiage, feel free to skip to them.


Brief historical account: the Netherlands (low lands) began as a political entity with the Germanic Burgundians. After Charlemagne put together an empire that essentially was congruent with the former Western Roman Empire, and divided it among his three grandsons, Lothair took Burgundy and the imperial title.


The Low Countries later fell under control of the Hapsburgs in Vienna when the emperor Maximilian married the daughter of the Duke of Burgundy. That was the way the Hapsburgs built their great empire; the saying was that while other countries make war, the happy Hapsburgs marry. The Netherlands went to Spain, under Hapsburg Maximilan’s great-grandson. The Dutch didn’t particularly relate to the Spanish autocratic and very Catholic government, and won their independence by the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. They had become Protestant (Reformed) in theology and were now free to practice their religious convictions as well as national interests,


Following the Portuguese explorations that produced lucrative trade, the Dutch founded the Dutch East India Company and became astute at business, leading the world during the seventeenth century. The “Protestant work ethic”, developed particularly in Reformed countries, emphasized the idea of a personal calling from God to a specific line of work, and performing that work to the best of one’s ability thus to glorify God.

The result was substantial growth in business and profit.


The above and following pictures were taken during our cruise today on the canals of Amsterdam; the city is known as the “Venice of the North”. Given that Amsterdam actually has more canals, maybe Venice should be known as the Amsterdam of the south.


All along the canals are houseboats in which people permanently live.




The houses are tall and skinny, and to bring up furniture or food supplies, protuberances were added at the top. Some houses were deliberately built slanting forward so that items being pulled up would not be damaged by colliding with the building.

One of the more impressive sights along the Amsterdam canals would be views like this one where multiple bridges are in view.


Some houses lean inward or sideways and are known as “dancing houses.”


Bridges are especially beautiful. The one below is known as the Blue Bridge, although it is actually gray.

Jon and Sage visited the Anne Frank house this afternoon; Alice and I saw it on a previous trip.


As I write this tonight we have set sail for Germany along a canal that connects to the Rhine River, and we have just passed through the first of sixty=six locks.


Thanks for taking a look. Update coming tomorrow, hopefully.


Blessings,

=David






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