Holland 2016

Holland

Coxen Travel Ink Holland 2016

Holland

May 25 - 31 - Amsterdam Area
     We arrived at Schiphol Airport 14 minutes early on KLM.  The arrival was uneventful except that our first choice for a cab driver turned out to be an illegal and so we had to put in some time with the authorities doing paperwork, and then get into a legal cab.  We then took 18 minutes to arrive in Haarlem and find the 'Wandering Canuk Too'. 

Ed's new boat the 'Wandering Canuk Too'!!

Ed, Nick and Chris were all on board and we had a great reunion.  It was raining and so we spent some time catching up.  Eventually it stopped raining and we went out to wander the town.  E, C & N had found a fabulous quilt shop so of course that was one of the places that we visited.  To be fair even K & E enjoyed the shop as it was very unique and had some very special quilts.  One in particular had 3D flowers made from prairie points.  Full of gorgeous colour, it was an amazing quilt that was headed for a big show.  We then continued to wander the streets of Haarlem.  P & N decided to visit a museum while C, E & K headed for a pub ..... yeah I know that no one is surprised by that move.  Eventually P & N joined us at the pub.  

     Harlem is a great city with lots of character.  It is the oldest city in the country, and used to be the capital.  Now, it is an affluent city with lots of charm. 

Side canal off the main line.

Swing bridge and buildings.

The buildings are all tall and narrow.  Each has a unique roof-line, and is built to be beautiful. 

Homes viewed from the canal.

More homes viewed from the canal.

The main method of transportation is the bicycle, so they were zooming in and out between the pedestrians.  People have grown trees near their houses.  Because the space is limited, they have trained the branches to be flat screens, rather than bushy trees.  There are flowers everywhere.
     Travel down the canals is very different than the canals of England. 

Dutch Barge along the canal.

Lift bridge with the convoy we were traveling in.

Here, you see everything from dingies to freighters. 

Wandering Canuck Too is midrange in size, but tall, so we need to have the canal supervisors raise the bridges for us.  The canal we travel on is fairly wide, but there are some small canals that are used to irrigate and drain fields.  
     Our next port of call was Aalsmeer.  This town is in the heartland of flower country and boasts a large flower market.  Alas, we did not go to it.  Instead, we got groceries, fixed the tender, cleaned the kitchen and worked on a leaky toilet.  
     Yes, we did see several old windmills along the canal.  There was also a tall windmill in the Aalsmeer town center.  Critical for the drainage of water in order to reclaim land, it is now a part of their history.

These windmills were used to pump water and claim new land.  In Aalsmere we were 8 m below sea level.

   We have headed on to Uithoorn.  It is a quaint little village not far from Amsterdam.  One bridge today was so low we needed to drop the entire canopy and the radar arch in order to get under.  This is very different than traveling on England's canals as we have done uncountable numbers of bridges (all run for us) and one lock!
     Our next porto'call is Weesp.  It is also a quint little village with it's own character,  The advantage to Weesp is that we are a quick 17 minute train ride from the Amsterdam city center.  

Two level parking lot in Weesp!

     It costs 3 euros to transit through the three  bridges in town (the first we have had to pay).  The harbour master swings up a wooden shoe on a pole with a string and we place the 3 euros in it.  Very cool!

Collecting the toll!

     It is may 31st and we headed into Amsterdam for the day. When you arrive at the central station, you are at the heart of the hussle and bussle of old Amsterdam.  There are cars, busses, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians (many of whom are looking up rather than where they need to go) whizzing in every direction.  When there is a clash, everyone else is polite and slows down for the pedestrians, but don't you dare dillydally!
     We walked the city, stopping in the Waterlooplein, a flea market, the Jewish Quarter, where hundreds of thousands of Jews were transported to concentration camps, including the famous Anne Frank and family.  We tried to visit the Nautical Museum, but could not go in because there was a big EU meeting in process inside.  The security was heavy on the outside.  We are not sure if they were protecting the dignitaries from hidden dangers or the protesting farmers who were driving their tractors down the street.  Another protestor had constructed a barge with cow statues that represented several EU countries involved in the protest.  It made for a colourful area. 

Farm protest with the Nautical Museum in the background.

We got out of there quickly, lest we be mistaken for agricultural protestors.
     The next area was the Red Light District. 

The 'Red Light District' is located along 2 canals that run parallel to each other.

It was busy at 11 am.  There were many tourists walking the street, hoping to get a look at one of the working girls who advertise in the windows of the buildings.  We heard many sighs and titters from the young kids as they hurried through with their tour groups.  We, of course, were on a mission.  Only the 3 of us would stop at a hardware store located in the middle of the Red Light District.
     We were unsuccessful at the hardware store, so he sent us to a ship store at the Flower market.  This market is a series of 10 or 15 shops along the side of the canal.  Each one is filled with tulip bulbs in every colour and shape, plus many other bulbous flowers and plants.  There were also many souvenir stores, so we were able to get most of our shopping complete.  No luck on the plumbing T Ed was looking for, though.
     We were now in the shopping area, so stopped for a sandwich before heading back through the Red Light District to find the narrowest house in Amsterdam.  We finally found it.  A lovely 6.5 foot wide house.  Centuries ago, people were taxed on the width of their house.  That is why the houses are tall and narrow.  The houses each need a gable hook to get their furniture moved in because the stairs are so narrow.
     Many of the really old houses also have gables to decorate or hide the roof line.  Now you understand why most tourists are always looking up and not watching for traffic.

Amsterdam homes, in ancient times you payed your taxes by the frontage of your hone so you built up!

  

On the right the narrowest home in Amsterdam. only 2 meters wide!

   We were able to find time to sit at a sidewalk brewpub in the late afternoon for a beer.  It balanced out the drinks we had in the late morning under a big umbrella on a quiet street.
     On the way to a restaurant for dinner, we heard the most beautiful trumpet music bouncing off the buildings beside the canal.  It was a man, in a small boat, playing a posthorn and a barrel organ, while steering his boat with his elbow. 

Busking in Amsterdam, he is playing and steering the boat at the same time!

We showed our appreciation by putting money into the wooden shoe he passed around via fishing rod.

     Dinner and a trip back to the boat on the train and our day was over.  If the weather holds out, we plan to go back tomorrow to visit the Rijksmuseum and take a canal cruise.  We may also sample a waffle or pancake, too.

June 1 - 7 - Amsterdam Area
     The weather held, so we were back for another excellent day in Amsterdam.  Today we took a canal tour in an open boat.  We went up and down many of the canals of the city and even visited the old harbour.  
     We then walked to the Rijksmuseum, via Cafe Hoppe, a popular coffee and lunch spot since 1670.  The menu claims that Queen Beatrix has even stopped there once.  Ed and  Kerry ate a traditional beef croquette, shaped life a sausage, while Pat ate a healthy sandwich of ham, cheese, egg and lettuce.
     One goes to the Rijksmuseum to admire Rembrandt's best picture, The Night Watch.  During R's time, men 18 and older, were required to be a part of this group to help protect the city.  Each group hired an artist to depict a moment in their time period.  Hols painted several, and so did Rembrandt.  The piece is massive!

Night Watch by Rembrandt.

      There are also other famous pictures - Vermeer's "The Milkmaid" and "Woman Reading a Letter", as well as Rembrandt's self-portrait as the Apostle Paul.  There were many other masterpieces, but these were my favourites.
     We also examined other exhibits - coins, Delftware, furniture, model ships and an old airplane.
After walking for miles in the museum, we couldn't bear the 3.6 km walk back to the train station, so we hopped a tram.  Faster than we could walk back to the central train station, we were back on the boat in Weesp, tired but happy.
     We were enjoying a wonderful evening on the fly-deck when a school of children and parents walked by, off on an adventure.

     We were up and heading down the canal after 9 am because that is when the lift bridge opens.  We got to experience the paying of the toll ourselves into the wooden shoe, before leaving Weesp and heading on to Utrecht.  The wind is howling, so we are staying put on the boat under cover.  

Sluice gates are HUGE!

The traffic is HUGE!

A Tjalk (Dutch sailboat)

The river has very few bridges so to get to the other side there are multiple ferrys, some take cars and some do not.

     We found a place to get water, and enjoyed the protection from the wind, so we moored up.  This gave Kerry and Ed an opportunity to flush out the gunk clogging the shower drain trap and other odd jobs, while Pat worked on her quilt cross-stitch picture.  After 3 summers, I am committed to completing it before I get home.
     We continue to work our way down the Neder Rijn River towards Arnhem.  The sun has come out and it is hot.  It is so refreshing to have the breeze on the water.  The river is high because of rains in Germany.  It is always interesting to arrive in a urban area and see the immaculate yards and canal houseboats. 

The grass has been manicured and are the hedges and trees.
     We arrived in Arnhem on the anniversary of D-Day.  Kerry and Ed were very excited, because we went under the "Bridge too Far" where the British forces tried to secure a bride over the river. 

This is today named John Frost Bridge after the British Airborn commander who tried to capture it and was unsuccessful as his support never arrived.  They held out until they ran out of ammunition and so had to surrender.

They were met with heavy retaliation from the Germans, and only managed to secure one end before heavy casualties and having to surrender.  For the people of Arnhem, it meant mandatory evacuation under the German occupation, and heavy bombing of the city by both Allied and German forces.  We were able to stop at a museum dedicated to the bridge and that assault, called the Battle of Arnhem.  The city and concerned citizens are making an effort to memorialize the battle because so many of the people who were there are gone, and the children don't know about it.
     We toured a beautiful old church called Eusebius, built in the 1400s.  It was bombed during in the battle for Arnhem, so had to be rebuilt.  It has a beautiful tall tower we were able to climb - this time via elevator - no steps.  The view from the 7th floor was amazing.  We could see the river and the city all the way around.  This city is a great example of "out of the ashes a pheonix will rise".  They have rebuilt - new and old.
     After such hard work in the tower, we needed a break so had some amazing ice cream (the flavours are really interesting and delish here) and then a couple of beers and bitterballen and mustard.  The bitterballen are finely ground beef and gravy, cooled, rolled into a ball, coated with crumbs, and deep fried.  Amazing!!  I want to try this at home.
     We are getting lazy with the beautiful evenings.  We sit on the fly deck with a refreshment, read, blog, visit, or watch the excitement around us.  Tonight it is adults in sculls maneuvering around the harbour we are moored in. 
     After another day of traveling the Ijessel River, we moored beside a delightful couple, Bob and Henne, in Deventer.  She was a retired teacher, so we had a great couple of hours comparing systems over drinks.  Bob introduced us to Dutch gin.  It was a great time.

Sunset in the marina in Deventer

June 8 - 15 - Province of Drenthe & Friesland   
     We turned back on to the canal system just before Zwolle.  This was exciting because there was still commercial traffic.  We even had a barge with containers go past us as we were refuelling. 

Container Ship

We saw him later being emptied.  The most exciting was when we passed under a bridge in a very tight harbour at Zwolle behind a barge.  The barge backed in beside another that was full of dirt from a construction site.  The full barge then had to move forward and then back in to make the turn to go back out under the bridge. While all of this was going on, we were cooling our heels in a corner, trying to stay out of the way.  After 30 minutes of manipulation by the barge captain, he was on his way and we were able to find mooring.
     Zwolle is a fairly large centre, but we are 3 people who need nothing, so we wandered until we found an ice cream shop.  The ice cream here is the best, with so many different flavours.  Each visit is an adventure.  The last cone I had had 2 scoops - one of sugared almonds and one of bueno chocolate bar.  Both were smooth and tasty.  Kerry had chocolate and a different chocolate, while Ed had his usual mocha and hazelnoot.  Needless to say, we don't bother stopping at the soft ice cream places.  We wait for the good stuff and stand in line.  It is worth it!
     We are now in the province of Drente.  The canal is straight with trees in a line on both sides of the canal. 

Fields go back from the roads.  We have had a major road on our left (port) side and a small road paved with bricks, on our right (starboard) side.  Last night, we ere moored in front of a groups of farmhouses.  Dad was mowing the lawn on his lawn tractor.  The 2 boys were riding their cycle tractors and trailers on the road, waiting for grandpa to come over with his antique tractor to take them for a ride.  This entertained Kerry and Ed for a while as they nursed their Dutch beer on the fly deck.  We were enjoying another beautiful evening.

A small canal lock ..... it looks very familiar.

Fueling up on the canal at Shell.

     On Friday the 10th, we floated past a beautiful field of flowers in bloom.  I don't think they were tulips.  They looked like peonies, but there were several blocks of a beautiful white flowers in the back.  This is our first field of flowers. 

A Canadian Flag? Could be from above?

Until now we have seen lots of hay, potatoes and grain.

     Many of the farmhouses have the barn attached.  In most cases, I think the barn has been renovated and is now living space.  There are a few that are still the barn.  The family need not worry.  The ladies have the windows gleaming, the furniture dusted, and the yards  are immaculate.

Home and barn in one?

     If you are following on a map, we are heading north towards Friezeland, and then will turn back south towards Sneek (pronounced Snake) before thinking about heading for home.
      It is Saturday afternoon, and we have arrive in Gronigen. 

It is market day, so the centre of the city is busy.  Tour boats are going up the river, full of customers.  Small craft are full of groups of men or women.  Regardless, there is beer or wine and snacks as they go for a boat ride.  What a great way to celebrate a bridal shower or stag!
     Groningen is an old city with many interesting buildings along the canal.  Like Amsterdam, many have hooks on the roof peak to aid moving in large objects.
     After we found our mooring in the centre, just a mere 2 blocks from the market, we wandered that way, and enjoyed a feast of foods.

Groningen market

     There was the cheese stands with their large rounds and samples.

Cheese rounds and jams

     The licorice stand attracted both Kerry and Ed, black licorice lovers.  They got a bit of each, and are having fun sampling the different kinds.  

We asked the girl for authentic Dutch licorice.

     We found a frites stand, so we tried the fries with mayonnaise.  Kerry had this delicacy years ago, and was eager to taste it again.

I've been looking for these since we visited Waterloo many years ago!

     Of course there were also lots of bread, salami, fish and clothing stands.  We were able to purchase kids suspenders from a haberdashery tent.  The fruits and vegetables looked amazing.  I purchased 2 pints of field strawberries that smelled amazing. We will dig into them tonight at supper.
     As I sit blogging, we are enjoying yet another beautiful evening. 

Saturday night in Groningen .... we are enjoying it!

The Netherlands have really been good to us.
Today we spent the day following 'La Boheme'. 

La Boheme

It is boat that you hire that comes with four crew and you travel along enjoying the views and if you feel like it your get involved in the running of the ship.  We finished the day in Zoutkamp.

Zoutkamp

So we headed out and decided to spend the day going around lake Lauwersmeer. 

Stay between the green on and the red one or else!

The 'Anna Caterina' too beautiful!

A Tjalk (chalk) very cool looking!

It was interesting and and the end we came to the locks that would let us out onto the Wadden Zee (North Sea inside some islands).  We spent the night at a mooring on and island out in the lake. We had the most violent rain storm while moored out there, but the 'Wandering Canuk Too' handled it NO PROBLEM, thank goodness!  
We were up and at it and headed into Dokkum.  What a quaint little town. 

There were many streets that looked just like this.

Well, this is the first mooring right under a windmill!

It was so much fun to wander the streets and then find a fine establishment by the canal to relax.  They had 'Brand' beer our new favourite on  the continent. 

That's a 'Brand' beer in my hand!

What a civilized way to spend an afternoon!

June 16 - 19

Our next port of call was Leeuwarden.  We again moored right in the center of town, and roamed.  The city is built with rings of canals, like Amsterdam.  We searched for a quilt shop, and ended up at a second-hand store.  Too bad.  Ed wanted a chandlery, so we found two.  The boys found the parts to a windshield wiper, so happily installed it.  Now, one of them does not have to stick his arm out into the pouring rain to wipe the water off the windshield so the driver can see.

We have had several days of heavy rain, with gorgeous evenings.  Sneeksmeer Lake was no exception. 

We dodged the sail boat classes, and found a really nice mooring where we could be out of the wind and enjoy the sunshine. 

Lake traffic, you never know what may go by?

It was hot enough we were able to get out the lawn chairs and read.  We all actually got a little too much sun.

The city of Sneek (pronounced snake) is a boating mecca.   It was Friday night, so we watched the boats head out of town on the narrow canal.  There were lots of bridges, so the traffic came in batches. 

Iron lift bridge in Sneek.

Sneek town center is quite delightful. 

Bridge across the canal in Sneek.

Most of the center has been turned into a pedestrian area, so it is full of shoppers and cafes with tables on the squares.  Perfect for enjoying the weather.  The cafe we chose was perfect until a large hen party started taking over.  It is more fun when you are in the group rather than wtching from the sidelines.

We awoke to more rain, but this didn't let up. 

We were moored to the right.

This sailboat was moored just behind us.

We found the perfect mooring on a lake, beside bush.  The seagulls were just over the island and were very noisy.  In the late afternoon, the wind shifted, so we had to move to the other side of the island.  The wind howled above us, but we felt nothing.  Except for the gulls, all was quiet.

Father's Day started out rainy, but the sun came out about noon.  The canals are busy with everyone out celebrating Dad.  We are headed to Mepple to catch the train to Schiphol and the the flight home on Tuesday morning.