Marken, Waterland, The Netherlands

For centuries an isolated and impoverished fishing village on an island in the Zuider Zee, Marken--a town of perhaps a few hundred--has made the transition from bare subsistence to tour busses and water busses as well. Marken has preserved and now presented itself well.

Like any other place in Netherlands, even tiny
Marken is cross-crossed by tiny canals, thus
necessitating tiny bridges, all of whom are named
for royalty; Vicki persuaded me not to do a post
on the Bridges of Marken, Waterland

Street scene

Up closer

In the beautiful little church

Ditto; beautiful ship models hanging all around
with a two-panel list of all the pastors since the 
16th century

More street scene

Marken's excellent little museum

Fancy clogs...and not the last you'll see in these posts

Mannequins displaying traditional (16th century-style) dress;
note china

Lots of mannequins...but interesting stuff

For example, this 1660 painted chest 

And very fine wood carving; wood is good: it floats

Another bridge and the church steeple 

And drinks and lunch on the marina: the local beer, Marken, is
a high alcohol blonde, a bit sweet, a bit like Duvel, without the
hops; nice finish to our visit to Marken

Walking A Dike

Thursday we broke camp at Gaspaarplas and headed north, stopping first at Marken--a former island in the former Zuider Zee--and then beautiful Edam. But first, rather than drive straight-away into Marken, now connected to the mainland--we decided we'd walk a few miles of the old dike.

So this what Marken would have looked like a century ago

Closer up, now joined by a causeway, right

Anyhow, driving up the causeway, we stopped to take the dike
footpath toward Marken

Marken from the footpath

Looking the other way, the vast inland lake that used to be
the Zuider Zee

Approaching a small hamlet...note the things to the right, in
the water

They are ice breaks--although the sea has been tamed,
monumental ice is still a problem, occasionally carrying away
whole houses

On up the island, the old lighthouse

Synchronized windmills...momentarily

One of scores of sailing vessels on the Ijs

Looking back toward our rig...the windmills were more than a
mile beyond it

Amsterdamsters, 7: Sama Sebo and the Van Gogh Museum

Tuesday, showers delayed our leaving the campground until noon, so we began the day with a lunch-time rice table at Sama Sebo, an Indonesian restaurant just north of the Rijksmuseum (and across from the Tesla showroom). After lunch, we walked through the gale to the Van Gogh Museum. We might have skipped it, having visited it in 2013, but hey, it was free now that our Museumkaartes have already paid for themselves. After the Van Gogh and another trip to M&S, we headed home for an administrative day in the campground. After two weeks, we'll be ready finally to leave Amsterdam. Oh, fuller coverage of the Van Gogh Museum is at my 2013 post, http://roadeveron.blogspot.nl/2013/06/van-gogh-museum.html.

Sama Sebo

Interior

Lunch; OK as a sampler; much prefer Thai

Me, at a rice table in Amsterdam, 1979; first really spicy food
I'd ever had...

Passing by the Rijksmuseum en route to the Van Gogh

The Koncertegebouw...I never seem to get any closer than this

Rijksmuseum again, not up closer

Inside the VGM; they too have gone to the "no fotos" policy

Looking down from the 3rd floor, park-side: they're building
a colossal new entry; it will move the long lines off the sidewalk
and street out front 

"What's this on the floor?!"

The one foto I wanted to get...Vincent's take on Crebain from
Dunland...prescient..."Spies of Saruman!"

Amsterdamsters, 6: The Willet-Holthuysen House

Vicki wanted to see the interior of one of the great canal-side houses, and the Willet-Holthuysen House, just across the canal from the Hermitage, filled the bill. It is a 17th century house, donated to the nation in 1895, after the Willet/Holthuysen couple died without issue. I think the historical society is still trying to decide whether it should be restored to 17th (famous) or 19th century (not so famous) standards. But it's still an interesting visit. The Wllet/Holthuysens were artsy collectors, and some of their posessions remain.

Canal-side entry

Entry hall

Ball room

Dining room

Pantry above dining room

First of several large withdrawing/display rooms

Nice little room displaying travels, mementos

In another display room

Canal-side view; water feature

Back-side view; the Willet-Holthuysens were definitely
Francophiles

Boudoir

Top of the staircase, Paris and some goddesses;
life-sized

More display

Ditto, overlooking the garden; nice place, Herengracht

On the way home, passing by the Flower Market, with this
one spectacular stall...