The School visit to Amsterdam began well: Miss Tubman datmlished Dr Sloan’s garden wall with her car when attempting to park the car in the drive. Eventually forty students and staff departed from Blackpool for the docks at Hull. Prior to arriving at the docks we visited Hornsea where we looked at the Cretaceous Clays and recent landslips.
Five o’clock saw the party eiitark on North Sea Ferries’ S.S. Norland where we were directed to our couchette accomodation. As soon as we set sail the ship’s information loudspeakers informed us that dinner for our party was about to be served and asked if we would make our way to the dining room. To our surprise we all enjoyed a five-course dinner.
The sailing across the North Sea was uneventful and calm. An interesting highlight was the passage through the Gas Fields at about 1.00 a .m.
Breakfast was very early - 6.30 a.m. - after which we disembarked at Europoort and boarded our coach. Leaving Europoort we saw various aspects of the huge industrial complex which is situated south of Rotterdam. Leaving Rotterdam we travelled south and then turned Northwards towards Amsterdam. A brief stop was made at Kinderdijh to look at a group of Windmills and one of the canal pumping stations. Every evening water is pumped out of the canal system and replenished by water from the Rhine. It was interesting to note that the pumping station employed the use of three huge Archimedean screws to pump water from the canal into the Rhine.
Eventually we arrived in Amsterdam where we were presented with a Dutch 'Bread Lunch" of rolls, cheese and ham.
After lunch we journeyed to Volendazn on the Zeider Zee. Returning to Amsterdam, and nuch to our delight, we had a trip by canal through Amsterdam where, among other features, we saw the Mayor's House, the smallest house in Amsterdam - one window wide - and the dock area.
The evening was spent quietly in Amsterdam, and the following morning we visited "Van Moppes" diamond factory where we were shown how diamonds are cut, faceted and mounted. To our disappointment no free samples were given, but to our amusement the girls in the party nearly climbed into the cabinets containing the jewelry.
We had lunch at the hotel and then made our way to Europoort via Delft where we spent a brief time shopping.
The sailing to Hull was not as smooth and calm as we had been led to expect. In order to prevent sickness the party danced the night away at the ship's disco. Even Dr Sloan joined in the dancing. We disembarked at Huill at 8.00 a.m. and were conducted through inmnigration and customs to our bus on the quayside. A brief stop was made on the return journey to Blackpool to look at the construction of the Humber Bridge.
We wish to thank Dr Sloan, his wife and family, Miss Tubman and Mel Green of Anchor Travel for a very enjoyable school visit which we hope is the first of many.
E . L . /K.N. /A. L . /M. S.
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