From Iceland, we flew to Holland.
Our main reason for going to Holland was to rent a MotorYacht. Having grown up with a 26' Junior Clipper sailboat, we thought it would be fun to sail the canals of Holland for a week.
It's surprisingly affordable, and very relaxing. There's no tide or current to speak of, and the speed is slow.
Some of the bridges are 'toll' bridges for boats, where you have to pay Bruggeld (BridgeMoney).
After they open the bridge, the bridge guy uses his fishing pole to gather the toll. On the end of his line is a little wooden shoe, into which you place your guilder.
The water is about 6" below the level of the land. If there was any tide, it would be a big-time problem, as 1/3rd of the country is below sealevel.
Think of Holland as Germany's beachfront property. (Sorry)
Here we are, visiting one of the few still-working molens in the country: a Lumber-windmill. Many of the tasks of exporting the seawater the creeps back into the land is now handled by electric pumping stations, or the new-fangled dynamically designed wind propeller pumps.
We climbed to the top of this molen, and inspected the wooden gears.
I'm the one with the neat Captains cap.
Here in Alkmaar is the weekly Cheese-auction. They still dress in the traditional clothing of old.
This entire vacation was a food-feast! We ate Indonesian food, Fish food, Dutch Cheese food, Dutch pastry food.
We did NOT stop at McDonalds.