After Giethoorn, KAMPEN, NL

That same birthday weekend when we visited the Dutch Venice of the North in Giethoorn (last post), we drove to Kampen the following day, only 15 miles from our B&B.  Whereas Giethoorn had been a blissfully sunny day, we awakened to rain and walked in between raindrops all day.

But how can you say NO to skies like that, full of rain!

Every time we wanted to stop, we did, dodging the rain at the right times.

You know me, I have to stop when I see spires and steeples so captivating!

Bottom right:  Bovenkerk in Kampen from the bridge over the IJssel river.

Top center:  Niewe toren in Kampen from the same bridge.

 As bridges go, this is one of the best I've seen in the Netherlands.

It's a new counter-weight bridge built to replace the old-for-wear first bridge,

catering now to pedestrians and cyclists, as well as increased traffic over the years.

And because we had seen it from the bridge,
one of the first places we walked to was the harbor.
We're both gluttons for Dutch boats!

 

And then city center, of course, where the oldest architecture usually is.

The old City Hall (c 1350) is bottom left and center right, along with the Bovenkerk spire.

 In the shadow of the old City Hall (bottom center) is the Niewe Toren, a carillon tower.

You can see it from almost anywhere in the town.

The 2 bottom right images are of a nearby "swan tower"...a wannabe?

The Broederpoort (Friar Gate) from 1465 is one of 3 remaining gates in the town,

now also used as a wedding location.

Impressions.  Glimpses.  Touches.  Feelings.  

Sometimes that's all we need.

 Gevelstenen = gable stones.

Weathervanes.

(Four is better than none!)

All to whet the appetite before heading back home.

The Olde Zwarver windmill (1842) stands outside the town,

and nearby is the Molenbrug (Windmill Bridge, 1983) under which we drove.

And as so often happens everywhere around the country, a piece of art sculpture (bottom right)!

(And all this from the car!)

What a way to end a wonderful birthday weekend!

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Lest I forget!  Today is my turn at Vision and Verb where I talk about--guess what?!  Yup, Mercury Retrograde.  We're in the middle of it, in case you wondered why things have seemed a bit caddywampus of late.

Just breathe!

And slow down a bit!



[Mercury stands atop the Royal Palace in Amsterdam, NL.]