Canal Cruise

We found "Those Dam Boat Guys" and learned all about the canals that circle Amsterdam from Captain Marc. On a map these waterways look like semi-circles that get smaller as they get closer to the city center and Amsterdam's beautiful Central Station. The house boats that line the canals are on 50 year leases and the city has strict rules about size and construction so they maintain the original aesthetics of the UNESCO World Heritage neighborhoods from the seventeenth century. The water levels are tightly controlled with pumps and locks so that they don't rise more than a few centimeters and the water is always flowing so it never gets stagnant. A small door to the side of one of the main entrance bridges is the entrance to an early prison where prisoners were put on display as a warning for visitors to behave while visiting this Dutch capital city. It was great being in a small boat where I could lean out to take pictures and still enjoy a beer on our adults only tour. Captain Marc had lots of great stories and answered all our questions about the city and how the canal system keeps it from flooding despite the entire city being below sea level.