Our wonderful 5 days in the Netherlands began with a quick stay in Amsterdam, which coincided with their one week of summer, so temperatures sweltered in the high twenties to low thirties! Always such a nice city to visit we thoroughly enjoyed Amsterdam in the warmth, going on a cycling tour, visiting a flower market (no tulips unfortunately), and just wandering the canals.
We then stayed in beautiful Heemstede (a suburb outside of Amsterdam near Haarlem) for our last few nights with Lana's family John & Tineke, who were amazing hosts and showed us around the real Netherlands. We saw the technology with which the Netherlands fights its ongoing battle with the sea, from windmill pumps to steam pumps and lots of clever ways they have created their land. We had a cycling tour of Haarlem which was very nice and got to learn some interesting history of the area too. What was especially fun was a collection of 19th century automated (hand wound) pipe organ machines that I (Damien) was apparently very skilled at playing! But most importantly it was very nice being able to relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Netherlands with Lana's wonderful Dutch family. Being taken to a delicious restaurant with the rest of their family was very nice, as was hearing stories about Lana's Opa growing up in Holland. Thank you again John & Tineke for an amazing time!
L + D
Amsterdam by night
When its hot the Dutch take to the fountains, here it was a blistering 29 degrees!!
The skeletons of bicycles long forgotten to the canals
A steam powered water pump
Beaches of Holland
It wouldn't be a trip to the Netherlands without windmills! This one is a wind saw mill
Annointed king of organ winding!
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