Tall ships arrive in Amsterdam

Well, I made it to Sail Amsterdam 2010 – after a minor hiccup with the Dutch rail system en route. Long story, but I managed to get my hand trapped in the door of a train and had to press the emergency stop button to release the door to get my hand out which really didn’t impress the guard I can tell you! Anyway, I arrived in Amsterdam early evening on Friday whilst Sail was in full flow, and what a treat it was. I had really been looking forward to it, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Besides all the Tall Ships I reckon that anyone in the city with a boat was on the water. The area around the cruise terminal was choc-a-bloc with boats of every description. Some people were just cruising around, others were in fancy dress and some were obviously having full scale parties on board. It was a great spectacle indeed.
The area around the cruise terminal was packed with onlookers just enjoying the scene, and the beautiful warm August evening – a rare treat indeed for a visitor from the UK! Also, it was a major contrast to my last visit to the city on the 20th December last year which coincided with the worst snow the country has experienced in fifteen years if I remember correctly.

Walking into the centre of Amsterdam I found the place absolutely buzzing – there were so many people on the streets, in the bars and restaurants, many of whom were dressed in naval attire in honour of ‘Sail’. There were also many young women in certain areas very scantility dressed – must have been the warm weather!
All in all it was a great evening which was rounded off by a beautiful late August evening sky on the journey back to my friends appartment – just like we used to get over here in the good old days!

Sail won’t happen again until 2015, so I’m really glad I got to see it this year.