A romantic candlelight wine and cheese canal tour through Amsterdam alone

The afternoon canal trip merely whet my whistle. I decided to go back again for the evening one, the so called "Candlelight Cruise" complete with wine and cheese.

They were surprised to see a soul male boarding the boat. "You are alone, then? I'm afraid I don't have any single females to seat you with."

That was quite okay, of course, because I was in for quite a bargain for my 25 euros this evening. Being alone meant a table to myself, and each table was set with a full plate of cheese, bread, grapes, nuts, and of course a full bottle of wine. And yes I drank the whole thing during the two hour trip which took a different route than the afternoon one, through the Red Light District where the ladies were displaying their "wares" in the bordello windows. Amsterdam is quite lovely and romantic at night.

The bottle of wine almost did me in though, having had several beers before boarding the boat, so after having a solitary beer by the side of a quiet canal (and making a couple drunken calls home from my cellphone), it was an early night.

Not wanting to travel by train for another full day, I've opted to fly to London tomorrow morning (yes, I'm totally backtracking now, and it won't be the last time.) I arrive in London in late morning, then board a train to Wales to visit my friend Norma and her boyfriend. Two nights in Wales, then off to Dublin for the Oxegen Festival. Then BACK to London to fly home.

At least that is the plan.