Today we drove about two hours away to Kinderdijk to a park to see nineteen working windmills in the Netherlands. I have always really appreciated the stereotypical symbols of Holland, and so I was really excited to get there.
The weather today was not the best for this outing, as it was windy and cold. But, it was still nice to get out and walk along the canals to see what was going on.
It was definitely a big tourist day. Lots of French people, particularly the elderly French in large tourist groups. It was also a big day for nine-month-olds and their tantrums. However, we stuck it out and saw what we wanted to see.
The windmills were constructed centuries ago to pump water out of the land. The canals, themselves, were dug by hand in the 1200s before people got the idea to build the windmills.
People actually live in some of the windmills today, and one has been converted into a museum of sorts. There are cafes and souvenir shops to go in too. In colder weather, when the canals are frozen, you can go skating on the ice! It is an incredible place to gaze at these structures, and we will definitely return on a nicer day. We thought about driving a further twenty minutes to the town of Gouda, but decided against it. Adding cheese to the list today just seemed a tad too touristy, and we can always return.
3 comments:
I know it's touristy, and I know this is such a fat kid comment, but please go back to Gouda (or wait until I come to visit you!), because I'm pretty sure that would be the best thing ever! :) Glad you had fun @ the windmills!
I love the windmills... it's so beautiful... so different from Italy!
Did you go into Delft to see Dirk and Ank at their shop? They live very near the windmills. There is a water tower you can see from Kinderdijk and their house is about a block from there.
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