One of the many cannons dotted around Leiden
Yours truly in front of the Molen de Put
Plaque of Rembrandt's birthplace (the building itself has been rebuilt)
The remaining wall and foundations of Vrouwenkerkhof in LeidenMonday, May 28, 2007
Leiden
One of the many cannons dotted around Leiden The remaining wall and foundations of Vrouwenkerkhof in Leiden
We came, we saw, we conquered...
Hello everyone, for the last time from Amsterdam,
This was our last weekend here in the Netherlands and as much as we would love to stay in this extraordinary place for much longer, the time has come to keep moving on. Within 48 hours we will be in Zurich - as one chapter closes another one opens.
On Saturday we decided to venture out of the city again and head to Leiden, about 35 minutes away by train. Leiden is a University city in the province of South Holland. Like other places we have visited, we only had a chance to see a small portion of the town but from what we saw it seemed like a smaller more laid back version of Amsterdam. Markets on a Saturday, cafes and bars, museums and canals - Holland in a nutshell. It also happens to be the birthplace of Rembrandt and has an important place in Dutch history being the site of many seiges from the Spanish during the Eighty Year's War. There are still remnants of that period standing in the city today such as ammunitions stores and cannons. The better part of what we saw was from a short river cruise we did that afternoon along the Oude Rijn and Zijlsingel. We passed a small bridge that was the site of the end of the Eighty Year's War in 1574. It seems that everywhere you go the towns are steeped with history and connections to the past, it would be so easy to spend weeks in each of these places.
The rest of the weekend we spent in and around Amsterdam, taking a few more pics, grabbing a few more bits and pieces and just generally soaking up the atmosphere of the city we called home for the last 2 months. We haven't seen all that much of the Netherlands while we've been here, but what we did see was simply incredible. In our time here we've become quite attached to our little apartment, the locals (both human and animal) and the city itself. I think we're both just that little bit sorry that we have to leave, but in this world who knows what the future may bring. Now, Switzerland here we come. On that note though, I'm going to make use of the few hours left so for now I'll say goodbye. For one last time from Amsterdam - Tot Ziens.
Jim and Ness
This was our last weekend here in the Netherlands and as much as we would love to stay in this extraordinary place for much longer, the time has come to keep moving on. Within 48 hours we will be in Zurich - as one chapter closes another one opens.
On Saturday we decided to venture out of the city again and head to Leiden, about 35 minutes away by train. Leiden is a University city in the province of South Holland. Like other places we have visited, we only had a chance to see a small portion of the town but from what we saw it seemed like a smaller more laid back version of Amsterdam. Markets on a Saturday, cafes and bars, museums and canals - Holland in a nutshell. It also happens to be the birthplace of Rembrandt and has an important place in Dutch history being the site of many seiges from the Spanish during the Eighty Year's War. There are still remnants of that period standing in the city today such as ammunitions stores and cannons. The better part of what we saw was from a short river cruise we did that afternoon along the Oude Rijn and Zijlsingel. We passed a small bridge that was the site of the end of the Eighty Year's War in 1574. It seems that everywhere you go the towns are steeped with history and connections to the past, it would be so easy to spend weeks in each of these places.
The rest of the weekend we spent in and around Amsterdam, taking a few more pics, grabbing a few more bits and pieces and just generally soaking up the atmosphere of the city we called home for the last 2 months. We haven't seen all that much of the Netherlands while we've been here, but what we did see was simply incredible. In our time here we've become quite attached to our little apartment, the locals (both human and animal) and the city itself. I think we're both just that little bit sorry that we have to leave, but in this world who knows what the future may bring. Now, Switzerland here we come. On that note though, I'm going to make use of the few hours left so for now I'll say goodbye. For one last time from Amsterdam - Tot Ziens.
Jim and Ness
Monday, May 21, 2007
The answer my friend is blowing in the wind...
Hello to all once again,
It is just under one week away now until we pack our bags again and set forth into our second phase of conquering Europe. We ended up spending Saturday meandering through the markets for a few more souvenirs and wandering the shopping strips, we figured having only one weekend left here that next Saturday we might endeavour to visit one of the nearby cities of either Leiden or Rotterdam. It was also our first Saturday that we didn't have anything planned and it was good, if only for once, to just be able to wander this grand city without having to worry about running out of hours in the day.
On Sunday we decided to go and visit the Sloten Windmill (Molen Van Sloten) in the sleepy little town of Sloten. You find Sloten at the end of the number 2 Tram line about 20 - 25 minutes south west of Amsterdam Centrum. Although now the area is mostly residential, up until 2 years ago the land was predominantly used for farming. The mill itself is one of the thousand remaining mills in Holland (there used to be 10,000). The Molen Van Sloten is a water pumping mill, still in use, that ensures Holland stays above water - that's another story in itself. For those that don't know, most of the Netherlands land lays below sea level (for instance Schipol airport is around 6 metres below sea level), so through the design of lock and dyke systems and the pumping in and out of water the Netherlands remains mostly dry (Yes, there is much more to that story, and it is rather interesting too, but I'm not going to attempt to explain the entire workings of the system). It is quite incredible the volume of water that the mills can shift during optimal operation, even more incredible that before electric pumps the entire country relied on these windmills to keep their feet dry.
Unfortunately there wasn't enough wind on the day so the blades of the mill stood still, but it was nonetheless impressive. There is so much history and so many stories in mills like this one, here in Sloten there is even a local connection to Rembrandt who, himself a Miller's son, portayed the mills of the region in his earliest etchings. I could go on and on, and it's so very easy to when you've stood in a town that is near to 1000 years old.
However I must bring this chapter to a close, there is a pile of work sitting next to me that I must attend to. As always, our good wishes to everyone - I'll try to squeeze in one last post from Amsterdam but the next time after that we'll be in Switzerland. Until then, enjoy some of the photos from the weekend and you will hear from us soon.
The Molen Van Sloten
Us in front of the sails
The towns water pump
Peace and Regards,
Jim and Ness
It is just under one week away now until we pack our bags again and set forth into our second phase of conquering Europe. We ended up spending Saturday meandering through the markets for a few more souvenirs and wandering the shopping strips, we figured having only one weekend left here that next Saturday we might endeavour to visit one of the nearby cities of either Leiden or Rotterdam. It was also our first Saturday that we didn't have anything planned and it was good, if only for once, to just be able to wander this grand city without having to worry about running out of hours in the day.
On Sunday we decided to go and visit the Sloten Windmill (Molen Van Sloten) in the sleepy little town of Sloten. You find Sloten at the end of the number 2 Tram line about 20 - 25 minutes south west of Amsterdam Centrum. Although now the area is mostly residential, up until 2 years ago the land was predominantly used for farming. The mill itself is one of the thousand remaining mills in Holland (there used to be 10,000). The Molen Van Sloten is a water pumping mill, still in use, that ensures Holland stays above water - that's another story in itself. For those that don't know, most of the Netherlands land lays below sea level (for instance Schipol airport is around 6 metres below sea level), so through the design of lock and dyke systems and the pumping in and out of water the Netherlands remains mostly dry (Yes, there is much more to that story, and it is rather interesting too, but I'm not going to attempt to explain the entire workings of the system). It is quite incredible the volume of water that the mills can shift during optimal operation, even more incredible that before electric pumps the entire country relied on these windmills to keep their feet dry.
Unfortunately there wasn't enough wind on the day so the blades of the mill stood still, but it was nonetheless impressive. There is so much history and so many stories in mills like this one, here in Sloten there is even a local connection to Rembrandt who, himself a Miller's son, portayed the mills of the region in his earliest etchings. I could go on and on, and it's so very easy to when you've stood in a town that is near to 1000 years old.
However I must bring this chapter to a close, there is a pile of work sitting next to me that I must attend to. As always, our good wishes to everyone - I'll try to squeeze in one last post from Amsterdam but the next time after that we'll be in Switzerland. Until then, enjoy some of the photos from the weekend and you will hear from us soon.
The Molen Van Sloten
Us in front of the sails
View from the Molen (this area beyond the canal would once have been underwater)
The towns water pumpPeace and Regards,
Jim and Ness
Sloten in more photos...
Central mechanism inside the mill 
Main shaft in the mill
The wheel used to position the head of the windmill
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Not without my gracht...
The Posse
What it looks like after a few too many in Dam Square
Darko and Moi cheesing it up
Hey Ladies!Incriminating Evidence...
What to do and what not to do when in Amsterdam, a photo journal.....
Maybe it is all boobs and booze...
Bone in a Hog
One of the positions in the "Turtlesutra"
What happens after you can't figure out how to work a strange looking keg of beer
What it looks like when 3 people can't work a strange looking keg of beer (at this moment Jess would shout "Stab it with a screwdriver," soon after followed by, "Bugger it, get me the Jim Beam.").
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