Slept in late this morning, after 7, then up and to breakfast. Today was windmill and cheese day. The obligatory visit to the windmills was this morning. Beautiful day – was somewhat cloudy but temperatures in the 70s. Have done this two previous times but this was a twist on the previous tours. The weather was pretty clear so got some good pictures. This time we did not climb around inside the windmill as in the past but just stayed outside. The windmill was slowly turning but the person who ‘lives’ there – really lives in a house close by as the windmill we visited is a demo windmill – was unfurling the sheets (sails) on the windmill – that was neat to see that. Covered two arms completely and the other two halfway. Always wondered how this is done and turns out is very easy. Each sail cloth is attached along one side to the windmill arms and then has a couple of robes that attach to another edge of the sail and are tied of at the bottom of the arm. So you just get the appropriate rope pull it to extend the sail cloth to cover however much of the arm you want and you are done. Couple of slides show this. Interesting fact – don’t get near the ends of the arms when they are rotating as they may be doing 150-200 mph at full speed! After this, we went to a little museum/workshop there at Kinderjike
The tour today started with the Kinderjike windmills. Went on the tour even though have been there before so did not go inside just to walk around. After the windmill tour, some of us went on an optional tour to a farm that makes cheese – Gouda in particular and variants thereof. The lady giving the tour was, probably, the best I have seen! Great English, great knowledge of the product, very willing to answer any question. We did end up buying some cheese that was quite good. When we got back to the ship we had lunch then a safety drill Afterwards we had to talk to the House Manager. Seems like we were upgraded to a balcony room for the whole trip – BUT turns out we will be in the room only through Budapest. We will be upgraded if possible if someone else cancels a better room. Will find out later next week.
So now we are simply cruising to our next destination this afternoon and night. The temperature was the in the upper 60s, mostly cloudy – otherwise good day. We are, right now having ‘tea and crumpets’ then some kind of talk in a bit. So I will drop down to the room and put this stuff up and do ‘something’ – probably watch the water, ships and scenery pass by. Supper tonight was cool – Patricia had scallops and I had Chateaubriand – very good, Afterward wandered out to the sun deck, was about 9 PM but still very light. Sky has cleared and id now blue except for a bunch on contrails going everywhere. So is now about 10PM, still light and fixing to sack for the evening.
Additional Information
This morning we sail to Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for a tour of this ingenious network of windmills and other flood management devices. You learn why the windmills were built and see how they work, plus you enter a working windmill for a tour of its mechanisms and living quarters. Return on board for lunch and an enjoyable afternoon of Dutch diversions: sample handcrafted Dutch cheeses and jenever, a distilled juniper liquor, and take in a culturally enriching presentation on the Dutch Golden Age. We cruise through the night.
Highlights:
Kinderdijk – 1
Kinderdijk – 2
Kinderdjik Photos
Photos