Holland Bike Barge; Here We Come

Kathy and Steve Dennis are about to board a big (and French made) Northwest Airlines plane that will take us to Amsterdam and the start of a two week barge/cycle cruise on the inland waterways of Holland. It should be fun.
The trip is organized by Cycle Cruise Holland. Each day we will have an opportunity to cycle what is suppose to be a “flat” country or stay on the barge. Since biking is the reason for the trip and we plan to eat too much, we will likely opt for the cycle option, weather permitting. We understand the wind can blow a bit. We will see.
The first night will be spent in Amsterdam which, by all accounts, is a wonderful place to visit. Steve had some difficulty finding a hotel however. Using the internet he found some that were small and sold out. They he found one that looked good; near the rail station, near the barge moorage and reasonably priced.
After reading reviews on Tripadvisor.com he changed his mind, however. Visitor comments were mostly positive but:
“Wonderful if you are into S and M…”
“The rooms are a surprise and ideal for S and M…”
“Gays welcome with open arms….”
That sounded interesting and all that but we were more interested in a place where we could buy some wooden shoes and tulip bulbs.
For now we are booked in a more conventional “Park Central Victoria.” The reviews were tamer and that is ok with us.
So now it’s packing and planning for the flight. More later.