Goedemiddag,

   Late yesterday afternoon it was too windy for Randal and Rick to work so we walked into the town center.  As we’re in The Netherlands, mostly everything is written in Dutch.  So The Netherlands emails will be mostly pictures and not so much info.  Maybe a nice break for everyone.

Ru

DoraMac

Holland or The Netherlands?

http://www.internationalstudents.nl/   (The simple answer is that Holland is only part of the Netherlands; but this website explains more. 

“Vlissingen is a city and municipality in the southwestern part of the Netherlands in the province of Zeeland and is located on the former Walcheren isle. The city was historically known as “Flushing” in English. Vlissingen’s harbor was so significant throughout history that the city received its own English name.  In fact, Flushing, New York was named after Vlissingen.  When I read that Flushing was the English version of Vlissingen I thought of my mother who grew up in Queens.  Flushing is part of the borough of Queens.   And New York City was once New Amsterdam.

The city of Vlissingen dates back to 620AD. Since that time, it has grown to become the third most important seaport in the Netherlands. It was the counts of Zeeland and Holland that commissioned the digging of the first harbors in Vlissingen. Throughout history, the port became a major hub for fishing, privateering, commerce and the slave trade. During the Dutch Golden Age, ships from the port would set sail for outposts in the Dutch colonial empire.

Because of its strategic location, Vlissingen was often the center of great conflict. It was sought after by the British, the Germans, the French and the Spanish at one point or another throughout history. Floods were also a great threat to the city. During the 18th century, the city fell into decline until the late 1800’s when the economy was revived thanks to the railway and a new shipyard (De Schelde).

During the 1960s, Vlissingen’s seaport and industrial area flourished and now generates thousands of jobs for local residents. Approximately 50,000 ships pass through De Schelde each year.”

http://www.netherlands-tourism.com/vlissingen/

Sitting in our pilot house we can watch the bridge raise for traffic though this pulling boat could just pass underneath.  It reminds me of my Outward Bound boat though we had 2 masts for sailing backwards into the wind.  Long story.  The next day we saw a boatful of women row past.

Most windmills in use today are the tall white version in the lower photo.  Not sure if the old fashion ones are used for anything other than show.

Town Center is a mix of old and new.  See the lifiting hook on the top of the yellow building to raise things to the upper levels.  Building were taxed by the frontage along the road so they were build tall and narrow. The lovely fronts are a façade as you can see in this side photo.

Giant ice cream cones. These lovely adverts caught my eye in 2000 when Randal and I did a bike – barge trip loop starting and ending in Amsterdam.  The one on the right looks particularly tempting.

I have no idea! .

Some kind of strange bus though the vehicle of choice here really seems to be the bicycle.

Great working hours for the public library, though not sure how accommodating it is for patrons.

Vlissingen center

Pubs of all kinds selling Bier.  I have fond memories of seeing the London production of Wicked with Valerie.

Recycling center along the street  and a building front of green glass bricks.

A pedestrian mall

Beat swords into ploughshares…..or bury cannons in the ground to use as mooring bollards.

Ship builders just behind us on the Kanaal Door Walcheren which begins just about where we are.  “The difference between a canal and a river is that a river is the work of nature, and a canal is a channel for water made by men.” http://groundreport.com/the-difference-between-a-canal-and-a-river/

I really like this boat. The man who lives here has a motorcycle that he keeps in back and what looked like a big fluffy black cat.