The Enkhuizen, NL, Experience

Remember when we took grandson Nicholas in July to the Zuiderzee open-air museum in Enkhuizen to get an overall experience of Dutch culture, both then and now?  And how at the last minute (of his 2-week trip) he bought what he called his "clutch gift?"

Well, it was ready for pick-up before our trip to Atlanta next week, so...Astrid and I went to pick it up this past Saturday, a 1.5-hour drive to the north of us.

We parked near one of the city's landmarks, the St. Pancras Church (Zuiderkerk) from the 15th cent.

 From the church, we walked to calligrapher Harrie's city atelier (not the one in the museum) 

to get the goods:  a family-name plaque for Nicholas..."Grannan."

He's gonna love it.

Harrie gave his best of Dutch hospitality, offering us koffie and lots of chitty-chat,

while, you know me...I snapped away at the organized mess!

THAT was the main goal of the day.

We could have turned around and gone home, of course, but...no way!

We walked through the city on our way to see the one part of the open-air museum 

we hadn't yet seen in our two times there...the indoor ship exhibition.

After walking all the way to the end of the city's pedestrian street,

we found the portal that looked out on the open-air part of the museum and got our bearings

(with those 3 chalk-factory chimneys as a landmark).

Back through the portal again we immediately found the indoor museum.

Near the inside entrance, before you see the ships, is this work of art by Clare Twomey.

It's called "Monument" and is "a playful interpretation of the concept that the remainders 

of household goods do have a cultural value."

OMG.  I have mixed emotions about this one...with shades of holocaust in mind.

But the ships.  The wooden ships.

"These historical, wooden vessels belong to the most valuable items in the museum’s collection."

Every little detail....prop...just as it once was.

 Yes, we were short of eyes.

 You want to know about sailsmanship?  Look and be amazed.

Totally worth the stop!

And on that note, we walked back into town for lunch.

Astrid deserved every mussel she ate...there at the Zuiderzee.

 Coming and going, you know I'll find them if they're there!

  By now it's hard for me to miss them...the many gable stones.

Enkhuizen got city rights in 1355.

At the peak of its power, it was one of the most important harbor cities in the Netherlands,

losing its position later to Amsterdam.

But take me to the Zuiderzee and to Enkhuizen any day.

Even for Astrid (and her "guardian angel," Stuart) it was a restorative day.
Thank you, Nicholas, for making us go back...and see you next week!