all things Dutch

We've had an excellent stay in Holland so far. Yesterday on our way to the train we realized we were in for a cold, windy and rainy day so we chose to stay in Hoorn, rather then our planned trip to Haarlem, enjoying Saturday market and wandering the streets.

On our walk home we caught one of the days only rays of sun








This is an old Dutch house with a tiled and thatched roof, unique and beautiful.

In Hoorn's waterfront marina we saw this Old Dutch sailing boat. I must say that in the cold rain this did not seem like an appealing mode of travel









Yesterdays trip to Alkmaar provided this excellent Molen or windmill as we know them.









Given the amount of wind and rain, the combination which makes the normal umbrella pretty much unusable, I was intrigued by this odd shaped umbrella I saw. It turns out it had been designed by two young Dutch guys, and the shape is meant to move wind over it and not under it. I decided it was a must to own one and be fully Dutch.









I am oddly mistaken for a Dutch person quite often. Although I am short the full ruddy cheeks and white hair are quite common, Once while sitting on a canal bench and knitting, a canal boat full of tourists were pointing me out to one another and taking photos. I'm sure they thought it was the quintessential Dutch scene of the older white haired women knitting by the canal.

Today I initiated another new beader. Friends from Friesland visited and seven year old daughter. Dagmar is a girly girl with pierced ears and three dainty rings on her fingers. Together we made several pairs of crystal earrings. She chose and arranged her favorites on headpins and I wire wrapped them. She left a happy girl.

This is Dagmar being silly










And her handsome brother Kaj









I lived in Holland when Kaj was born and knitted his first hat and a baby sweater. I must have made Dagmar a sweater too, but at this moment I don't remember, I hope I did.

Despite my limited Dutch and their limited English, we managed to communicate today and had quite a bit of fun.


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