This year I decided to watch the boat parade from its starting point — Westerdok. It’s not as crowded as watching the parade from the canals, and you can see the boats without having to climb trees or fight for a place. The downside of watching the parade from this spot is that the boats are not as animated as they are after starting the real tour on Prinsengracht. I had fun, nonetheless, before being sent home by the pouring rain.

Here are some photos that I took on Westerdok, and the beginning of Prinsengracht (the huge difference between these two places can be noticed easily):