Monthly Archives: August 2023

Jewel of the Seas — Disappointing Amsterdam Part 2


Amazing how cheesy Amsterdam has become

As you’ll recall from Monday, this week I’m presenting to you trashy Amsterdam, a once great destination that has fallen greatly. You can read about that at a special blog article I posted immediately following our return. That was a public service announcement to warn people away: see: Trashy Amsterdam and the Hellhole of Schipol. Instead, I highly recommend you stay at nearby, enchanting, and clean Utrecht. Part 1 of that series begins here: Utrecht, Netherlands — Part 1.

Trashy Amsterdam

As the wise old saying goes, if you can’t say something nice then…. At any rate, this week I’m saying nothing at all, and presenting some shots that weren’t tainted by all that trash. The camera will instead lie for me, as careful composition kept the trash from view in the following photographs. Next week it’s on to Norway.

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Jewel of the Seas — Disappointing Amsterdam Part 1


Amsterdam, Netherlands

Because we were taking three back-to-back voyages on Jewel of the Seas, we found ourselves in Amsterdam four times. Before we made our way into Amsterdam, however, we stayed a couple of nights in Utrecht. For a recap of that wonderful visit, you can start here: Utrecht, Netherlands — Part 1. At any rate, we were so disgusted with Amsterdam on this trip last year that I posted a special blog article to warn my viewers to stay the hell away, and to avoid Schipol Airport at all costs. That encounter left a bad taste in our mouths that lingers to this day, some fourteen months later. For a rehash of that fiasco, see: Trashy Amsterdam and the Hellhole of Schipol.

Amsterdam houseboat

Now, on this 20 June 2022 day, I did manage to scrounge up a few shots that weren’t tainted by the visual and olfactory stench of trash-strewn streets and graffiti, so don’t let creative composing fool you. And as I have nothing much nice to say about how trashy this once fun destination has become, I’ll just post pictures this week. Beginning next week I’ll take you to a much nicer destination, Norway. Until then:

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Fun Photo Friday — Dover Favorites 2


Colton’s Gate, Dover Castle

Today’s Fun Photo Friday concludes Voyage 2 aboard Jewel of the Seas. Next week it’s back for a visit to Amsterdam before reboarding Jewel for the most exciting voyage yet on this trip. And here’s today’s collection of Dover favorites:

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Filed under Fun Photo Friday, Photography, R. Doug Wicker, Television, vacation