Our drive today took us up north again to the city of Enkhuizen, a very important city back in the Dutch Golden Age (1600's) The trading company The Dutch East India Company was located here since this was a port to the Zuiderzee before the Afsluitdijk was constructed across the northern part of Holland and turning what was the sea into the huge fresh water lake Ijsselmeer.
Last time we were here we went thru the Zuiderzee Museum which is an open air museum showing the village of yesteryear and because it was a weekend there had been many demonstrations going on. But today nothing was happening. And since the day turned cloudy and cool - plus windy along the water we decided just to walk down the pedestrian walkway thru midtown. Of course after a short walk we found a BAKERY!! Couldnt believe it!! LOL!! So of course we went in and had something yummy and a coffee :)
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| Yummy Tompouce 😋 yes I had one -Hanneka :) |
After our break we continued to walk around. We came up to a church built in the 1400's but it was not open. Would have been nice to see the inside. Later when we got home I googled it and it seems that the church is only open on Christmas Eve. No reason why found :(
We continued down some other streets - entering a bicycle shop to look around. Wish I could have a Dutch bike - electric would be nice - they seem to "fit" so much better. I can sit up straight and its comfortable. But I don't have $3000 sitting around to buy one and then have to pay to get it shipped! Thought maybe Mar could take it back with her when she flies back but she nixed that idea! LOL!!
We then get back in the car and drive from Enkhuizen to Lelystad on the Houtribdijk. A dike that was built in the 1975 across the Ijsselmeer to create the Markermeer. As we are crossing we see a lot of big machinery out in the water -not sure what is being built. I google it and find out that islands are being made be dredging the silt from the lake to make it deeper. The huge lake is only about 3.5 meters deep. With the silt continually building up it cant sustain any life. By making these islands its a way of removing the build up of silt and bringing back life to the lake. The dam/dike Houtribdijk was originally built to reclaim more land. But once the dam was completed public concern stopped further land reclamation. Now life will come back to the lake. We could see that by the number of birds on the side of the lake.
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| Crossing the Houtribdijk |
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| The Markermeer to the south |
We get off the main highway and travel thru the countryside on our way north. Considering how small this country is and the high population (17M) there is LOTS of farmland and large parks all over. Very pretty to see.
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| How did they get that perfect white band around the middle?! |
Once across we stop at a Lidl store to pick up some more groceries and then head home to arrive back at 6pm and time for me to make dinner :)
Tomorrow we are going to take the train into Amsterdam and then a tram to visit our cousin Maarten at his art studio. Time for Mar to see her cousin after 44 yrs!!
October 19th
Drove to the nearby train station to get to Amsterdam. There was a girl ahead of me at the ticket machine. She tried using her credit card but had no luck and never finished the transaction. She walked away and I went to the machine and backed out of the page she was on until I got to "number of tickets" and I entered 2 and continued and used my credit card with no problems. Then took the printed tickets. I looked at them and found that I had just paid for 2 roundtrip tickets to the next station where she was going not Amsterdam!! So I gave her one of the tickets and said it was no use to me so use it :) The other one we ended leaving on the machine for whoever wanted it. I then proceeded to buy another 3 roundtrip tickets (Mar's card didnt work either) to Amsterdam Central. Put in my credit card, paid 4.60E each not even thinking that was the same amount as I had just paid for the other 2 tickets. When the tickets came out I had accidentally pressed Amsterdam Sloterdijk instead of Central!! So I had just bought 3 tickets the same as the last 2!! How dumb! But instead of throwing the tickets out I figured we would use them and once at the next stop (Sloterdijk) we'll get off and buy a ticket to Central. No problem!
So the train comes and we get on. 5 minutes later we are at the next stop. We get off and I remember when I checked the ticket price to Amsterdam yesterday from the last stop, the cost was 6.60E return. So I expected to pay another 2E for the next ticket - nope! It cost another 4.60E each! So..... lesson learnt - REALLY look at the machine when buying tickets :)
Anyways, the next train comes in 10 minutes and we continue on to Amsterdam. When we got there we went over to the tram ticket machine OH NO not another machine!! But got the right type - 24hrs for 7.50E
We got on a tram and headed towards the area where we are to meet our cousin and his wife at his studio for lunch. It was now 11:30 so once I saw some cafes we got out to enjoy a coffee. Soon after we still have time to get on another tram and "ride the rails" for a sight-seeing tour. Eventually we get back to where we meet our cousin Maarten. We get to his studio and meet his wife Suzzane. We enjoy a wonderful lunch of pumpkin soup, salad with figs, bread and of course cheese :) After a few hours it was time for us to leave and get back on the tram.
I took Mar to where our grandparents use to live and from there back on the tram to the Red Light District. There are some BIG girls behind those glass doors!! Interesting area to say the least :)
By now it's already 6pm so we continue walking to the train station and head home. Another full day of trains, trams, touring and visiting.
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| Maarten and Suzanne |
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| Dwayne and Maarten having a chat after lunch |
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| There comes our tram :) |
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| Built in 1619 |
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| Hustle and bustle of Amsterdam at 5pm |
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| Add caption |
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| Red lights on - open for business |
Loving your stories.
ReplyDeletethat's very interesting about dredging the silt.
ReplyDeleteOh and those cattle are Dutch belted cattle. The Scots actually created their own breed using the Dutch Belted as a cross and the Scots capitalized by exporting them to North America. You can see the Scottish Belted cattle in some of the fields in the US. Though the Dutch Belted are the original breed.