The Lighting Week of Kinderdijk's 19 windmills (a UNESCO World Heritage site) is a small window, which this year was September 2-7, Monday-Saturday, during a rainy period. It was our first ever experience (a gift from dear friends Femke and Jeannette for Astrid's 70th birthday and cat-sitting) and ended up being that Friday the 6th, after all the previous days were too unpredictable.
As it was, we still got some rain at the beginning of our 2-hour motor-boat tour, but NOTHING RAINED ON OUR PARADE!
Just SEE and BELIEVE!
Femke and Jeannette picked us up at 6:45 p.m. for our drive to Alblasserdam (26 km from home) to pick up the boat rental at their favorite restaurant there. By 7:15 we were in the boat and our way for a magical experience.
As you can tell by the beginning photos, it was on-again off-again rain
(from Astrid's side with her iPhone 15 Pro Max camera)...
and also from my side with my iPhone 15 Pro Max camera.
Femke was our happy and most capable captain!
Femke and Jeannette had ordered duck rolls and sushi for the occasion,
which was a great way to start the tour...first with the duck rolls.
(Thanks to Astrid for these shots.)
There are 2 bridges on this 2-hour tour along the canal, with windmills on both sides.
This is the first bridge near the restaurant, while it was still light but overcast.
In past years it was sunny and nearing sunset at this time of the day,
but WE got the moody skies, which Astrid and I loved and even preferred.
Once crossing under the first bridge, and looking back, of course, we looked ahead to this one:
And that's where we docked.
and, as you see, this is when it started getting dark...
And when we ate the sushi Femke and Jeannette ordered for the occasion!
We had already eaten the duck rolls at the beginning, remember?!
While sitting there, we watched other boats coming to join us at the end of the line,
getting darker and darker by the minute. Then we left and looked back.
It was a lazy hour cruising back to the restaurant.
THIS is what we had come to see.
And this, as we returned to Alblasserdam...
followed by the first bridge of the tour, now full of spectators.
It was 9:30 p.m. when we ended where we started, back at the restaurant.
What an experience! What a celebration!
What a memory at one of our favorite places on earth!
THANK YOU, Femke and Jeannette. We'll never forget it!
Wat was dit een GEWELDIG origineel en altijd "blijvend" cadeau
ReplyDeleteEn hele mooie foto`s als herinnering
Hartstikke bedankt, Marjolein. It's an experience we'll never forget!
DeleteBelated best wishes, Astrid! What a lovely celebration!
ReplyDeleteThanks from Astrid, and, YES, it was an exceptional celebration!
DeleteThis was such a great gift and what a memory we made here. It was a fun ride and to see the windmills from the boat and illuminated, that was a treat. Thank you Jeannette and Femke for this wonderful and thoughtful gift and Ginnie thank you for making this into a post. The images show we had a great time. IHVJ.
ReplyDeleteWe'll never forget it, Astrid, will we!!! And as you so often say, "How did we get so lucky!"
DeleteHow special!
ReplyDelete(sister) Ruth
It really was, Ruth. Thank you.
Delete