The shack in the centre of Amsterdam transformed into a home

I have always admired Holland and its people for their attitude to nature, to life. A country whose territory is mostly below sea level (below 0) has forests, parks, beautiful houses covered with reeds, green farms where cows graze peacefully. It's like a great Venice, with the whole country criss-crossed by canals, and the capital Amsterdam is no exception. The canals are navigable, and cities can be visited by boat. A common sight on the canals are boats converted into houses where people live as in any other house. Such is the barge that is the subject of the article below.

Barja retired 100 years after its launch it becomes a complete dwelling

Charlotte Johanna, for this is the name of the barge, began its journey on the waters in 1908, making shipments of materials on the waterways of the Netherlands and other inland countries. More than 100 years after its launch, it was converted into a floating home and moored on the Prinsengracht canal in the centre of Amsterdam.

Access to the barge is via a footbridge that connects to the canal bank. The entrance is through the room where the ship's wheelhouse used to be, now converted into a reception room. From here, a steep staircase descends below to the area where goods used to be stored. The doors through which materials were loaded have been replaced with skylights, so the space has become very bright, although the ceiling is quite low. Here, after passing the bathroom area, we discover the living room. In the kitchen area, where a dining island is set up.

As we move forward we come to a seating area with a sofa, armchairs, TV and a stove as a fireplace and then into the work area, where a beautiful old wooden desk is sitting. Following the study are two enclosed spaces, the shower room and the master bedroom. There is another bedroom on the barge, in the old captain's cabin, which is accessed directly from the reception lounge.

The living room is beautifully furnished and decorated, with light-coloured wooden floors to accentuate the light, old decorative objects, paintings, stained glass windows. The wood that marks the meeting of the walls and ceiling and outlines the windows, skylights and doors is in a warm cherry shade.

Above, in front of the helm, a terrace and a mini garden have been laid out. On the bottom is a metal grating to allow light to enter through the skylights. On this terrace you can dine or sit and admire the bustling life of the Dutch capital.

You can spend a dream holiday close to Amsterdam's attractions

Choosing to live on such a barge doesn't seem to come cheap. The cost of mooring, maintenance and any annual general repairs is between €350 and €550/month. And that's without the cost of electricity or other such utilities.

Charlotte Johanna - shack accommodation - can be rented for holiday. If you decide to take a short holiday on the barge, you should know that its central location will keep you close to Amsterdam's famous entertainment spots.