Back In the Saddle Again

Harvesting the Dutch Wind

And so here we are once again, back in sunny Edinburgh, preparing for the final five weeks of our stay in Scotland.  This past week, our journeys took us to Holland, Belgium, and France. Today, we marvel at the wonders of Holland.


No, not the football team (that is, soccer).  For that matter, it appears that the countries we visited have not fared too well during the European Cup (including France), and again England imploded...but I digress. 

Sack races...

Indeed, windmills are still a presence in Holland, and often serve functional purposes.  This particular windmill (or windmolen in Dutch) is a mill, grinding various types of grains for meals and flours, and has been doing so for over 200 years.

Wooden parts within the mill

One may climb to the top - which we did - and we were informed that a motor used within the mill to power a smaller millstone has survived the test of time (almost a century) because it is, well, Dutch.  Apparently American motors would not last this long, I was told with a laugh: only the Dutch and the Germans can produce such quality.

Grist for your mill

Incidentally, my Dutch is rather poor.  My best phrase? "Again, the egg is good my aunt.  Watch the speed bump!"  This sentence is rather useful, especially when complimenting a family member on her cooking whilst approaching a protrusion in the road.  I do not recommend attempting to use this wonderful array of words at a border crossing.

When not touring mills, Melinda and I visited the coast and were treated to a drive through North Holland.  The Dunes are absolutely beautiful, and the sea looks much different in Holland that in Scotland (perhaps it is Dutch engineering).  All along our drive, we saw the prevalent pickled herring stands.  Once upon a time I sampled these fishy treats, but on this trip (alas) no herring was eaten. 

And it seems as if even in The Netherlands, some streets have familiar  names...Goeiedag!   

"Let us turn our thoughts today to Martin Luther King"
(James Taylor fans will appreciate this...)