Vincent Van Loon was a houseboat owner in Amsterdam who was constantly being questioned by tourists about his houseboat and what life was like for him living on it.
So, in 1997 he decided to open a houseboat in Amsterdam to the public to address this curiosity.
Take a peek inside the Maria Hendrika!
She was built in 1914 to haul materials up and down the canals.
In the 1960’s she was converted to a houseboat where people lived until she was opened to the public for tours in 1997. And yep, that’s me, reflected in the mirror.
Holland houseboats have all the comforts of home as you can see, including heating, kitchens, living rooms, bathrooms, bedrooms and decks which function as garden terraces.
There are approximately 3,050 houseboats in Amsterdam with people living onboard, and 100,000 legally occupied houseboats in all of the Netherlands.
Does life aboard a houseboat appeal to you? If it does, and you want to try out living aboard, there are houseboat bed & breakfasts you can stay in to see if you like the lifestyle.
Cheers to you from a cozy and comfortable Amsterdam houseboat~
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Spectacular!!!!! 🙂
You can rent your own. Now, of course, I want to do this! 😉
Who wouldn’t? I’m in! 🙂
Wow what a great capture of the houseboat! That looks wonderful 🙂 All the best with your Amsterdam adventures my friend <3
Thank you and I so enjoy your blog! Be well~
A familiar sight caught beautifully Cindy. The interior of the houseboat., amazing!
So very pleased you enjoyed and be well my friend~ <3
What could I possibly add to the above comments, Cuz ??? Except that I’d love to have one of these to retire to in Florida during the winter months. 🙂
Now I want to make this happen for you if only I could! I can see your there with you kitty-kat cuz!
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Very scenic, lovely, and beautifully colorful. It is easy to love the moments you capture in time! Hugs!
Plus I love to see how differently people live all around this beautiful planet. Cheers to you Wendell~
I’d just LOVE to live on a houseboat..for a while!
You can even rent one for a vacation. That would be alot of fun in the Netherlands~
I don’t like this post, I LOVE it! Amsterdam is perhaps my favorite city and I was so curious about the interiors when we explored the canals. We lived on our boat for eleven years. It was 44 feet long and 14 feet wide (as the widest point), but not nearly as spacious as that one. Yes, I could definitely live aboard one of those!
However, a motorhome turns out to be a lot less work and money. And we see more of the country.
How wonderful that you lived afloat for 11 years and now you are afield in your motor home. It sounds like an idyllic life! Good for you! Grab life with both hands and shake it!!
I loved those doll houses, but unfortunately, did not take as many pictures as you. Nice work!
I am just happy you saw them. Remarkable aren’t they!
I’m lovin’ that houseboat!
You can rent one for a vacation which would be different and fun~
O my gosh. The photos are so beautiful and inviting. What a wonderful way to live.
It is different, creative and seems wonderful doesn’t it! So pleased you agree~
It looks very cozy! Although it must be quite damp, living so near the water in the winter…
Damp and a bit chilly I imagine, although they have very effective heating. Although, it was late November when we were there and it was quite comfortable.
Sounds wonderful. What a cool idea for a visit.
I think it would be a creative way to travel~
Really does look comfy & cozy.
A movelable abode!
I have just gone totally green with envy 🙁
Hmmmmm, I think I see a European houseboat adventure in your future??????
Sounds like a dream come true, Cindy 🙂
Thank you Cindy. 🙂
They remind me of the ones one the Seine in Paris…once again, outstanding photographic work!
Yes, the similarity is clearly there & thank you for your thoughtfulness.
You are welcome, Cindy, it is always a pleasure to read your posts!
Granddaughter and husband, Majors, USAF, plus 4 kiddos ages 5-9 just returned from living in the Netherlands for the past 3 years. I’d love to go back and do the boat B&B thing. We had a B & B 88-2000 on the MD Eastern Shore. You meet some great people & have some who remain friends for a lifetime. Great blog, stumbled on to you via a New Zealand blog.
We loved looking at the houseboats on our trips to Amsterdam. They are substantial and cozy. Thanks for giving us an inside look!