close friends. It was lots of fun! The weather
was very cold, but it did not rain or snow. The
sun even came out for a bit! Even in winter,
Holland is lovely. It was interesting to see so
much water…canals and dikes everywhere. I
really enjoyed walking through Amsterdam.
The canal houses are amazing! It’s so neat
how they are built right next to each other!
Some of them are extremely narrow because
they were taxed on how wide the houses were.
I saw a hotel that built around a house
because the owner refused to sell. The house
almost looks like it is part of the hotel!
(pic below)
One thing I had to get used to was looking out
for bikers. I had to keep reminding myself to
look for bikes as I crossed the street.
Somehow I managed not to be hit! The Dutch
really do ride everywhere, and it doesn’t
matter what age you are or how many people
are on the bike!
I visited Zaanse Schans, a touristy town with
windmills. It was so much fun! I saw how
wooden shoes are made and how practical
they are. The shoes are made from wet wood
and after they are carved out they have to dry.
They are so wet that if someone blows in
them, water comes out! There are even
wooden shoes for different occasions and
jobs: church, school, weddings, ice skating,
and so on. I also saw some working windmills,
but I wasn’t able to go inside. Of course I
could not be in Holland without having
cheese! There was a cheese shop that allowed
people to try different cheeses and spreads. It
was so much fun!! I couldn’t decide which
cheese to buy.
I love castles and I was so excited that I was able to visit one in Holland. I saw Kasteel de Haar, which was rebuilt in the 15th century. In the late 1800’s the castle was owned by Baron Etienne van Zuylen van Nijevelt van de Haar and restored by the famous Pierre Cuypers. He modernized it and his renovations are what can currently be toured. The Baron really only used the castle one month out of the year. It’s a beautiful castle with lovely gardens and ponds.
