After a hearty breakfast we are setting off
for a full day tour.
What a day!! Once in our bus we head out of the city
bound for ‘De Zaanse Schans.’ The countryside is a giant quilt sectioned by
waterways. Small walkways join the many
fields enabling the cows and sheep to be led from one grazing patch to
another. Windmills are dotted across the
picturesque landscape. These were used originally
for circulating water and grinding grain.
We visit a clog maker to see how these traditional shoes are made 2 – 3 hours by hand, five minutes by machine.
We also visit a cheese maker to see how the cheeses are made, although these days most of
Holland’s cheese is made in factories.
At Volendam we stop for lunch then wander around this quaint village. It’s like the Dutch version of a Delfin housing development. The houses are all the same, the only distinguishing feature being the front door and the window coverings. It is amazing to think that 40% of
Holland’s land mass is reclaimed lakes. They construct a dyke, pump water out, plant certain vegetation to seep up remaining water, then finally, after a few years, they have land dry enough to harvest or build on. As you drive through the country many of the dykes hold back water which is at levels considerably higher than the road system. (up to 7 metres)
When we finally return to the city we
continue with a new tour around the sights of Amsterdam, which includes a visit
to a diamond showroom to learn about the preparation of diamonds from the
discovery, cutting and polishing and the four “C”s – cut, colour, clarity and
carats – enough to whet one’s appetite.
We finish with an hour long cruise of the canals.
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