For some reason, I thought that Noah's ark landed on Mt. Ararat. Imagine my surprise to see it docked in the Netherlands in June 2012, complete with two giraffes on deck. We floated right past it on our way to Amsterdam.
Six months or so after we saw this enormous wooden ship, it opened as a tourist attraction:
What fun!
Our next stop was the small but beautiful village of Kinderdijk.
This collection of windmills is the largest concentration of old windmills in all of the Netherlands. It was another one of those places where I felt that either a) I was dreaming, or b) I had traveled back in time.
We spent some time in a couple of the windmills that had been turned into museums:
If the shoe fits, wear it.
There was so much to see, hear, and enjoy:
It looks magical, doesn't it? It was. My sister Doris expressed it best when she said, "I feel I've walked into a postcard!" I think we now know how Bert and Mary Poppins felt when they jumped into those chalk paintings.
Some beautiful windmill shots. I don't remember some of them. The ride along the canal was one of the most fun experiences of our trip.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely gorgeous place, and yes, very magical as well. I learned a lot (didn't know that windmill blades were on a slant and just brushed the ground, but barely) as well as that they were used to pump out the water. I've only heard of windmills in conjunction with grinding stones, etc.
ReplyDeleteYour photos were beautiful. And I do remember reading about that ark--fun that you got to see it!
E.
One of the best days ever!!
ReplyDeleteIt might be fun to check out the official website of World Heritage Kinderdijk (www.molenskinderdijk.nl) or go and visit our official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WerelderfgoedKinderdijk?ref=ts&fref=ts
ReplyDeleteThat would keep you up to date on what's going on behind these dikes and between these windmills.
I like your post a lot.
Thanks,
Peter Paul Klapwijk
World Heritage Kinderdijk