Sunday, January 4, 2009

Zaanse Schans - the Holland countryside (4 Jun 08)

Woke up early in the morning as it was going to be a really packed day in Amsterdam, or actually out of it. With recommendations from HY, I first made a day trip out to Zaanse Schans, a neighbourhood in Zaandam in North Holland approximately 20min out by train. And I was really glad I made the side trip as it's as close as I could get to the Dutch countryside (with windmills!!) on a tight time schedule.

First up, some morning sights in sleepy Amsterdam


OudeKerk, also known as the Old Church

Streets all quiet in the early morning



Haha tmd...even the street lamp-post got XXX...this city loves it!

Even the shops are just opening. Lots of soccer merchandise on sale as it is during the phase of the Euro Cup 2008!

Crossing over the busy street to the Amsterdam Central Station. The guy in yellow acting as the traffic marshaller

The St Nicolas Kerk in the background. Met an Iranian man who was on a limp (from the war) who helped me take this photo. I actually spent time talking with him as he just came from Brussels and was commenting on how different Amsterdam was from there. Kinda admired him as he was on his own with a limp yet trekking his way across and travelling

Felt that the Amsterdam Central Station has a unique architecture and is one of the more beautiful train stations in Europe



Waiting for the train


Finally arrived! Followed a pair of Taiwanese girls who were obviously heading to the same location


And then a short 10 min walk through a quiet neighbourhood to catch the ferry over to Zaanse Schans. Follow the signs!

Boarding the ferry with bicycles and passengers


What is everyone looking at to the left?

The view of what is to come...windmills dotting the river


Stepping foot in Zaanse Schans



Traditional green wooden houses, repainted but the architecture remains the same




The Coffee Museum


It's a wonder to just walk through the place and quietly take in the sights


The magnificent windmills




Each of these windmills have their own names given





The road along the river that can access to all the windmills


Goats grazing the countryside

Cheese making farm...

...done in the traditional hand-made way


Had a gr8 time sampling home-made cheese here...keke

In the meantime...more windmills to enjoy




Don't really understand the significance of hanging the clogs outside but oh well...thought it was interesting

Mini-mills!!




Bridge crossing where I was erm...patiently waiting for the ah ma in front to cross..lol


A Korean lady helped me take this pic and I chatted her up. She seemed amazed that I was from Singapore and travelling alone. Loads of Chinese, Japanese and Korean tour groups come to Zaanse Schans it seems

Glass tulips, not the real ones!! Argh! the only thing that was missing from the Holland trip was of course the tulips. But it's in spring and not in season liaoz...sad....just have to make do with this.

A Dutch milkmaid

Next up: the clog making shop! A favourite with the children and adults :p

A clogs museum in here, explaining that different clogs had different meanings and significance

Clog making equipment

Omg! Clogs galore!


That's as many clogs I saw in my entire life

Going round to the back, wood shaved for clog making

Big shoes to fill....haha...a very nice Muslim family took this photo for me

Even the clogs are XXX...hahaha

And not forgetting the humongous mega-clog that everybody young and old is dying to hop into...helped the school-teacher to take their group photo..haha

And a German couple helped me take this one as I acted the big kid by squeezing into the clog...keke

Buzzing sound of helicopters and I tried to capture them on my camera


More copters


Walking amongst the gardens and houses






A cute ice-cream van

And the ferry back

Love this place. Tranquil, and good enough to take in alot of what the Dutch countryside has to offer, especially when Amsterdam is my only stop in the Netherlands.

For more pics, go here

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