Friday, December 6, 2019

Gilbert - We Go on a Boat Ride! (Picture Heavy )

I'm still so behind on posting my adventures. I must say I start to admire Sullivan, Beanie, and others for updating so timely.

Anyway: In October we got a visitor from Sweden. He wanted to see Groningen, so we showed him around of course.


First we climbed the Martini Tower.
This is a view on the entrance


Here you see an old ornament.
I'm not certain, but it might be from when the tower caught fire and had to be renovated.

We climbed all the way to the top, but I forgot to pose for a picture. I was too impressed with the view and the tower itself. It is 97 meters tall!


After climbing the tower we had something to drink. My special hot chocolate was tasty, but more lukewarm than hot.


Next we went on a boat tour!
We got tickets for the tourist boat that goes along the Groninger canals.


We started at the Groninger Museum. That's the building that looks like a child's toy box threw up.


And we were off!


I had a seat outside at the back, so I could see to the side and behind us.


Doesn't this picture look like I'm in the water?
I wasn't though, I was standing on the side railing of the boat. Completely safe.


Buildings look so different from this angle.




There are many old warehouses along the canals.
As you can see they get renovated so they can keep standing.




It was so much fun to see Groningen this way.




It wasn't very warm, but it was dry and there was even a bit of sun at times. And clouds!






I even learned some things about the city I didn't know yet. Like there being a wall that is called the Gin Wall.


View on the Martini Tower.


Both me and Sullivan think it's the most beautiful tower in the Netherlands, but I think we might be biased because we live in Groningen. Sullivan says, he has seen other towers, and is sure he is not biased.


Oh! The Pancake Ship!
I wanted to stop for a snack, but the boat tour didn't do unscheduled stops.


Creepy bridge shot.


Looks like we are leaving the city center behind us.


We were almost back at our starting point and I thought we would go back, but we took a different turn.




Wow! That is a big crane.


I'm not sure if I'd want to live in that building!


After some sightseeing outside of the city center we turned back and then we took the turn I thought we'd take earlier to go back to the starting point. It was a fun boat ride.


We had a look at the station and I had to pose with Uncle Loeks' Horse.
There's a song about this horse. Uncle Loeks was very rich and had horses that made him money with... racing I think. One of them kicked a stableboy and Uncle Loeks drove the horse away with a pitchfork to save the boy, but... he injured the horse and the wound got infected, so the horse died. The song is about the death of the horse.

Peerd van Ome Loeks is dood, Loeks is dood, Loeks is dood,
Peerd van Ome Loeks is dood, hartstikke dood.
Guster nog goud gezond, sluig 'e mit steert in 't rond
Peerd van Ome Loeks is dood, hartstikke dood.

My not perfect translation:

Uncle Loeks' horse is dead, horse is dead, horse is dead,
Uncle Loeks' horse is dead, totally dead.
Yesterday it was healthy, waving around its tail
Uncle Loeks' horse is dead, totally dead.


Next we visited the market where I spotted a fun trashcan.


And a seagull looking for fish!


Finally we went to the Gold Office (which is no longer a gold office, but a restaurant) and I had a hot chocolate that was actually hot.


Followed by fish and chips!
Yum!

It was a really fun day, but I was told we'd do even more fun stuff the next day.


Coming next: Schier


1 comment:

Beanie Mouse said...

That's really sad about Uncle's horse. I don't like uncle. But I did like your boat ride!! It reminded me of the boat ride me and Sullivan did in Amsterdam!!! I don't remember creepy bridges though.....!