TIEL, Netherlands

Today is Holland's 2nd Easter Day, very similar to their 2nd Christmas Day...an official holiday. That means Astrid is off work! It's a lovely 3-day holiday.

Because it is still officially Easter, my post at Vision and Verb today is about how death always has a reason. This is something Astrid often says...but you can read about that there.

Happy Easter. I hope you've celebrated LIFE with joy.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Now, back to where we were headed last week: Tiel, Netherlands, 20 miles from home.

We entered the city through the port entrance by the Oude Haven (Old Harbor).
It ended up being the only gevelsteen (gable stone) we found the entire day/trip.

It so happens that Flipje is Tiel's mascot and is everywhere all around the city.
(I introduced you to him in last week's post, remember?)
Flipje (Pippin, in English) was conceived in 1935 by an ad agency for a jam factory.
He's made from raspberries. Isn't that fun!


Because it was a Saturday, the market was in full play on the market square.
This was the first time I saw cheese for sale shaped like wooden shoes.


As often happens, we just start walking!
Whatever "gets in our way" becomes game for our eyes.
We thought this was a church and went to see if the door was open.
What we found was an art exhibition next to what used to be a synagogue, now a mosque.
It was free to look, so we did.


There were plenty of other churches, which always catch my eye.
None of them were open, but their architecture makes me want to see more.
There was another time when a group of boys wanted me to take their picture
when they saw my big camera lens. Remember that?
It's a good thing I don't know Dutch that well because Astrid told me how obscene they were.
Boys will be boys will be boys. I guess?! I just laughed it off.
Sometimes what I don't know doesn't hurt me!


Besides, as if to wash out our ears and eyes,
we immediately found a church that WAS open...at least the side chapel.
This is the St. Dominic Roman Catholic church from 1939.
There was a "gate" separating the chapel from the nave, affording a few pictures.
It felt like my long lens was redeemed after the boys!


That made us hungry, so we walked back towards the market center.
Seeing the mail-slots in doors we passed reminded me of these ubiquitous stickers.
They tell the post[wo]man what they're allowed to leave, or not,
related to flyers and periodicals. Good idea, right?!

On the market square sat this wonderful Vietnamese restaurant, An Nam.
Good choice, we both agreed, both before, during and after the meal.
The flowers at the top of this post were from our window seat there.
We love eating good meals at lunch prices! Just call us cheap.

It was then time to get back in the car and drive to the nearby Prins Bernhardsluizen (Prince Bernhard Locks), one of our main destinations for the day.

Built in 1952, these locks link the Waal and Rhine rivers.
The lock complex comprises two lock chambers. The oldest dates from 1952 and is 350 m long and 18 m wide. The second vortex was built in 1974 and is 260 m long and 24 m wide.
What a beauty to just stare at!


And yes, we stayed long enough to watch one lock close and another open
to let this yacht pass through. It takes 15-20 minutes.

Each year 38,000 boats pass through these locks, carrying 70 million tons of freight.
But one of the main purposes of the locks is to maintain water level in the Netherlands,
to keep it from flooding. The water level differential between the two rivers is 37 feet.
Things like this blow my mind!

So, two posts on Tiel, basically in our backyard...but it only took us 2+ years to go visit it! It was even a first for Astrid.

They even have their own water tower, from 1946...a year my junior.

After all that, it's still Easter here in the Netherlands on this Monday...a reminder of my post today at Vision and Verb.