St. Nicholas, or Sinta Klaus, comes to Amsterdam by boat "from Spain" about three weeks before his Saint's day, which is December 6.  In 2003 he arrived on November 16.  Hundreds of people waited in the rain along the canals and in boats.  He is preceded by his sidekick "Piet", or rather dozens of Piets, who bring cookies and other goodies for the kids.

Piet put a handful of cookies in the surprised little girl's hand and she is not sure what this means until her grandfather assures her.

Sinta's boat finally arrives from Spain. Click on the thumbnail for a good look at him on the bow.

After he arrives, Sinta is given the keys to the city and begins a parade through Amsterdam.  The parade is led by the paddy wagon.  Really bad kids are packed off to Spain for a year. This used to invoke fear but some parents told me that their kids worked hard to win the trip last year.  Sint Nicholas rides in the parade on a white horse.

Pete and Sinta have to have the keys to the city to give them permission to run across the rooftops of Amsterdam dropping goodies down chimneys and listening to check up on behavior to see who gets goodies, who gets a lump of coal and who goes to Spain.  Piet employs mountaineering skills, repelling down the side of building along the parade route.

After the good Saint arrives, shopping.

All Photos ©2003, Rich and Suzi McClear, All rights reserved.