Last weekend we were lucky enough to get over to Amsterdam for 3 days. Just a 2 hour 10 minute flight from Valencia to Amsterdam. Amsterdam is a lovely city with nice architecture, canals though out the city, plenty of history and quite a few museums to look at. The weather wasn’t too bad. It did rain a bit on our last day there. We did the touristy things one does. A canal boat tour, the Vincent van Gogh museum, the main art museum of Amsterdam with many paintings of Rembrandt etc, Madam Tussauds wax museum and a general look around the city. And of course a walk through the interesting red light district.

Bikes are everywhere in Amsterdam!

Not much traffic in Amsterdam, because everyone there goes about there ways in bicycle. You have to be careful as a few times we were almost run down. The bikes seem to have the right of way over pedestrians. Next to the train station there is even a bike parking lot. With 10,000 or more bikes its crazy. And there all the old style bikes with only one gear normally.

More photos of Amsterdam are in the Photo Album.

Lets hope too the rule will be put in place that a teams crew members must be from that country. Example:

NZ92 New Zealand – Only NZ crew members.
AUS84 – Australia – Only AU crew members

That way we will have much improved odds haha

However I doubt that will happen, its all about money now….

Boo Hoo – We lost! ;( Next time Alinghi….next Time

Come on New Zealand!

I was lucky enough to see Team Zealand head out with both of there boats NZL 92, NZL 84 out for a practice run. Now Team New Zealand has a hard road ahead, Next week up against Luna Rossa. The Winner gets to go up against Alinghi for the cup.

More photos from the Americas Cup in Valencia can be found here

A Spanish Galleon Replica moored at Denia, Spain.

Denia port had an unusual guest the other month. Not every day you see something like this. Here on a promotional trip for the Americas cup. A Replica Spanish Galleon from the 15th or 16th Century. This replica is of a similar galleon that sailed around the world back in 1588 I think i read. If you look at the photo of the map you’ll see that path the Galleon took. The boat was pretty authentic and had followed the same route around the world as the original boat did. But of course now with safety warning lights, power below deck, life rafts and GPS Navigation etc (all the safety gear they didn’t have back in the 16th century). The rudder was as per the original design, But the masks made of metal tubing. No diesel motor inside to be found!

The matt black paint job made the Galleon look great and certainly stand out against the fishing vessels and freighters around that part of the port. We were lucky enough to get on board and have a look around. Life must have been hard as hell on board one of these Galleon’s pack in the day. The boat was only at the port for a week before setting sail for Port Valencia.

And lastly heres a quick edited video I made of the Spanish Galleon.