Living on a boathouse in Amsterdam

Just one of the many boathouses…

‘Welcome and feel free to use everything inside’ says Mathys, showing a bit of his white teeth under his pale lips. ‘No worries, you can flick through the books on shelves, there’s a lot about boats and Amsterdam in there… and please take a seat anywhere you want’ he smiles, noticing our confused look. ‘Would you like a cup of coffee or a tea?’ asks our guide adding to our puzzlement about this guy’s surprising hospitality.

We’re on one of the many floating houses in Amsterdam. Open to visitors. A sort of museum. And still a home. But above all, a boat.  A houseboat.