Amsterdam - Amsterdam Bruges and Brussels - page 60

Amsterdam had to be prepared to defend themselves. You'll see
plenty of muskets, as well as cannons and gunpowder kegs.
Wander the decks, then duck your head and check out the
captain's and surgeon's quarters, packed with items they would
have used. While the ship is a little light on good historical
information (be sure to pick up the free flier, which explains ter-
minology like the difference between the poop deck and the quar-
terdeck), it's still a shipshape sight that entertains naval history
buffs as well as fans of Pirates of the Caribbean films (€4, combo-
ticket with NEMO-€13.50, same hours as NEMO, docked just
to the west of NEMO at Oosterdok 2, tel. [phone], www
.scheepvaartmuseum.nl).
Netherlands Maritime Museum (Nederlands Scheepvaart-
museum) —his huge collection of model ships, maps, and sea-
battle paintings—which will be closed through 2009 for major
renovations—fills the 300-year-old Dutch Navy Arsenal. Given
the Dutch seafaring heritage, I expected a more interesting
museum; let's hope the renovations perk up the place (€9; mid-
June-mid-Sept daily 10:00-17:00; mid-Sept-mid-June Tue-Sun
10:00-17:00, closed Mon; English explanations, bus #22 or #42
to Kattenburgerplein 1, tel. [phone], www.scheepvaart
museum.nl).
Southeast Amsterdam
To reach the following sights from the train station, take tram
#9 or #14. All of these sights (except the Tropical Museum) are
close to each other and can easily be connected into an interest-
ing walk, or better yet, a bike ride. Several of the sights in south-
east Amsterdam cluster near the large square, Waterlooplein,
dominated by the modern opera house.
For an orientation, survey the neighborhood from the lamp-
lined Blauwbrug (“Blue Bridge”)—a modest, modern version of
Paris' Pont Alexandre III. The bridge crosses the Amstel River.
From this point, the river is channeled to form the city's canals.
Scan clockwise. The big, curved modern facade belongs to
the opera house, commonly called the “Stopera,” as it's the combo
City Hall (stadshuis) and opera. Behind the Stopera are these sights
(not visible from here, but described next): the Waterlooplein flea
market, Rembrandt's House, and Gassan Diamonds. To the right
of the Stopera are the twin gray steeples of the Moses and Aaron
Church, which sits roughly in the center of the former Jewish
Quarter.
Several Jewish sights cluster to the right of the Moses and
Aaron Church: the Jewish Historical Museum, the Portuguese
Synagogue, and the dockworker statue, a Holocaust memorial.
Just east of those is the De Hortus Botanical Garden.