This is allegedly the largest port in Europe.
It was the home port of early Dutch explorers in search of gold and spices. It was also the embarkation point for ships carrying millions of immigrants to you-know-where.
In spite of being quite prosperous, Rotterdam is relatively small. Only 800,000 citizens call it home, representing over 150 different nationalities. (I didn’t know there were that many, but I’m in no position to argue with my hosts.)
It’s Sondag morning here. The city streets are deserted. Quite like downtown Tampa on a Sunday morning. Except they speak Dutch here…and a few dozen other languages. The windmills and girls in blonde braids wearing wooden shoes must be somewhere near Amsterdam. They ain’t here. In fact, for a city that has been a vital cog in the world’s economic mechanism since the 1300s, this city seems painfully lacking in “old world” charm.
Blame that on Hitler.
The Nazis bombed this city to oblivion. Leveled it.
The city was once just like Amsterdam, filled with canals and beautiful, traditional Dutch architecture. Germany used Rotterdam as an example to all other European countries that might consider anything less than full and complete surrender.
Ka. Boom.
After the war, the Dutch took an expedient path to rebuild and provide homes for their people. They filled in the canals with the rumble of the bombed-out buildings. And built anew. Big and ugly featureless skyscrapers and apartment buildings. I’m told there are markers throughout the city where each of the bombs landed. And the only evidence of the canals that once wound through town are street signs that feature the canal names.
The reason we’re here today? 1.) This is the Ryndam’s home port and supposedly the city is coming out to say goodbye as we embark on her final voyage. 2.) We just took on almost 400 passengers. 3.) And I was told supplies of food and beverages were almost fully depleted so they have been loading her hold with pallets of “stuff” since we pulled up to the dock at 4am.
We leave here around 4:30, assuming they’re done re-stocking. We’ll be at sea for two days on our way to Portugal. Which means no cell coverage, WiFi or internet. Or ability to post to this blog.
A sad note: David, the travel consultant and ocean travel historian I met onboard in December, the guy who inspired me to take this voyage, died suddenly in February.
Carpe diem, my fellow travelers. You just never know…