By now you know how much Astrid and I LOVE to veer off the main roads to go find Dutch treasures everywhere. The ones the tourists never see!
And I had been hungry for new weathervanes for a long time (especially while working on the gazillion Malta pics). So, dear Astrid spent time to work up a route that would take us to new places not all that far away...for a 4-hour drive this past Saturday.
Basically, the route followed the Linge river that runs through our city, Gorinchem.
The river is 99.8 km long, one of the longest flowing rivers entirely within the Netherlands.
The river is 99.8 km long, one of the longest flowing rivers entirely within the Netherlands.
See the graduation cap atop the flag pole? That is NOT a Dutch thing...so don't you wonder!
We were out mainly to find weathervanes, since I was so hungry for them.
But look what else we found...and even got to eat an Elstar, one of my new favorite apples.
The Dutch invented it by crossing Golden Delicious and Ingrid Marie apples in the 50s,
first introduced to America in 1972.
It's apple-picking time here in the Netherlands (as elsewhere, of course).
How fun to stop and hobnob with the pickers.
Astrid had a lot to talk about because she was a picker herself in a past life.
Check out the apple "train," as I call it.
Check out the apple "train," as I call it.
BTW, Saturday was our Open Monument Day here in the Netherlands,
held the second Saturday of September each year.
This is the De Vlinder (The Butterfly) windmill in Deil, built in 1913.
Isn't she gorgeous dressed in white! We don't normally see white windmills here.
As I often say, more Dutch you cannot get!
But then...the surprise of the trip that Astrid found for me on the Internet:
a quaint covered bridge with this archer on its roof...in Tricht.
It took us awhile to find it...and it was private property from the bridge on...
but what we saw was better than enough.
And since it was time for lunch, there in Tricht we found this delightful café on the Linge:
De Lachende Gans = The Laughing Goose.
We were hungry for Dutch uitsmijters...as good as any we've ever had.
Just think: We could have taken a boat from Gorichem along the Linge to this point!
We're only talking about 30 km.
So, did we find weathervanes????
You betcha. Many are variations on the theme, as you see.
Like I said, variations on the theme!
A couple of them I have shown before, but who cares...or remembers, right?!
THIS, folks, is what I love about the Dutch polder and boonies.
T H I S.
(With many thanks to Astrid for making it happen!)
(With many thanks to Astrid for making it happen!)
I have started to notice the weather vanes here. There are very few but I see them now which I don't think I would have before. What wonderful discoveries you have made and photographed. Such a fantastic day!
ReplyDeleteThere is a Dutch man here in the Netherlands whom I have met several times...and he has said he NEVER noticed the gazillion Dutch vanes until I started showing them on Facebook. That amazes me! They have become one of my greatest "collections" of all time!
DeleteI LOVE discovering this country, as you can see. Thanks for noticing. :)
Oh that sweet little covered bridge! What a find!! Your country is just amazing and for you two to hit the backroads is my favorite as well. Keep it up! Someone should be paying you to advertise this beautiful countryside!
ReplyDeleteLOL at being paid to show off the Dutch countryside. Hmmm. Now that's an idea. HA! I'm glad you can tell it gives me so much pleasure (which is more than payment enough, to be honest).
DeleteWhat beautiful country all around you Ginnie, and I know how delighted you are of discovering new areas. Your collage of weather vanes is like poetry in photos.
ReplyDeleteBy the way I was looking at the map and saw that the Waal River is also close to Gorinchem. About 80 km from your town, by taking the A15 you can get to Heilig Landstichting where the museum Orientalis is located. It is open until November. I just saw it on one of my Dutch friend’s blog. It is about Christianity, Judaism and Islam. Have you been there? If not, it could interesting as a photo op. Here is my friend’s post on it: http://dutchcorner.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/open-air-museum-orientalis.html.
You know how much I love this country that is now my home, Vagabonde! I really couldn't be happier. So going out into the boonies is such pure joy for me.
DeleteI have not heard of Orientalis but will check on it with Astrid over the weekend. Looks most interesting, indeed!
'Put Ginnie in a car going the back-roads and Ginnie is happy'.....Do I need to say more...nope. It is a joy to show our country. A country we love and a country that has all those hidden treasures to be discovered... I love these posts, for sometimes I get lost 'have we been there??'... The apples were a treat, we ate two we found on the ground.... HA... IHVJ and I love these weather-vane hunts....to be continued :)
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to imagine what we HAVEN'T yet seen in this grand country, Astrid. We could go out every weekend for the rest of our lives and not find it all. As you know, this is my heaven on earth. :) And thanks for doing all the driving while in the process.
DeleteIt's hard to imagine that you two could find anything new to see so close to home! But you did, and then some. Just fabulous. And our favorite breakfast!
ReplyDeleteI just told Astrid we could go out every weekend for the rest of our lives and not see it all. It's amazing, isn't it! And, yes, I thought of you when we ate our uitsmijters. :)
Deletei love that covered bridge toooo, i wonder which side of the fence built it?? and the pigeon weathervane is sooo cute lol see? i have been sitting on your page forgetting to comment for a whole day i think lol
ReplyDeleteThat covered bridge WITH THE VANE was worth the entire trip, Elaine. Astrid was so excited to show it to me...her big surprise for the day. She knows me well. :)
DeleteYour showing of your town and the nearby areas make me hungry for NL.
ReplyDeleteSo, when are you coming, Maria???? :)
DeleteVery informative ;) A nice place to live ;)
ReplyDeletehttps://emierre-photography.blogspot.pt/