|
Kinderdijk, Netherlands (May 3, 2018) Debra and I visited this lovely village, which was the last stop on our 8-day Rhine River cruise. We were there to see one of the most iconic symbols of Dutch culture - windmills.
Much of the northern region of the Netherlands is below sea level, and it's been a continuous struggle to gain the right balance of water to land. Too much water and you have wet feet; too little water and the land sinks. For many centuries, windmills were an important part of the water management system. Once there were more than a thousand windmills in this region; now there were only 56. The largest cluster of windmills (19) was in Kinderdijk, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. Debra and I strolled along the windmill-lined path next to the canal. The windmills were majestic. We stepped inside the Nederwaard windmill, which was built in 1738. It was originally occupied by the Hoek family - a couple with 13 children. Talk about cramped living quarters! Kinderdijk was a winning combination - historic windmills and picturesque scenery. It was a great way to end our cruise! |
|