Rotterdam, Netherlands

Rotterdam Central Station 

We sat in perpetual silence lost in our own thoughts. The bus rattled and shook stopping to pick up passengers every quarter of an hour or so. 

The bus driver whistled as he drove. It was cloudy outside, the kind where the sky is all white and it feels like it could rain at any time. We were on our way to Kinderdijk on the outskirts of Rotterdam.

We had arrived into Rotterdam yesterday morning after catching the train from Amsterdam. It had been an early start and pouring with rain as we made our way to Amsterdam's central station. The ride to Rotterdam went quickly and, before we had really gotten ourselves settled in, we had already arrived. Along the way we looked out on an expanse of wet, green sheep runs, flooded from the last twenty four hours of rain. We saw windmills standing at the edge of canals, their sails battling the wind. 

It was cold when we immediately left the train. No different from the north, the south of Holland wasn't much warmer and it was even colder when we exited the station. Without much of a plan we began walking through the city centre and down to the port. 

Buildings along Kruisplein 

A lighthouse along the old port

The history of Rotterdam

Walking around the city

Kara outside Stadwinkel Centrum 

We knew Amsterdam is much older than Rotterdam but we didn't realise that at the beginning of World War II the entire city centre of Rotterdam and its immediate surroundings had been decimated by bombing. Totally destroyed. But like a rose blossoming after a long cold winter, designers and architects flooded the city to begin rebuilding - starting with a new slate. There's a sense of entrepreneurial spirit encouraging some amazing, futuristic and state of the art buildings across the skyline. Best described as a veritable open air gallery of modern art, contemporary construction and unabated ingenuity and vision.

Just a small part of the city skyline

As we walked, watching carefully for cyclists, we looked up at the unusual and interesting buildings and skyscrapers. Over the last sixty years the city has seen huge changes. The history of Rotterdam actually dates back to around 1270 when a large dam was constructed in the Rotte river and people settled around it for safety. Before that however there is evidence that people had lived along the banks since 900AD. 

Many of these people have since become lost in Dutch children's fairytales and according to them they where kings and queens. It's in these tales the name Rotterdam is spoken of and translates as muddy water.

Conductor John at the old port

Green living! 

Underground shopping

As Rotterdam grew into a thriving city, a shipping canal was developed and led Rotterdam to become a port of importance. Today its port remains the busiest in Europe bringing with it life as an internationally and diverse city.

Cube houses

Closer look at the cubes

Some strange arty buildings

We wandered among the Saturday markets outside the amazing Markt building and checked out the 1970's cube houses. There were lots and lots of quirky statues, beautiful painted art walls and even a semi-submerged shopping mall.

Cheese! Cheese! 

Fresh cakes, pastries and breads

Inside the Maarkt

Hurry! I want to try them!

Here come our poffertjes

Typical Dutch Poffertjes 

One stroopwafel

One tasty bite later

We clocked the kilometres letting whatever took our fancy guide us. In the late afternoon we went in search of our Airbnb and after a long walk around the western neighbourhood, enjoyed some dinner and for the first time in years - watched some TV!

Arriving into Delftshaven 

After a restful sleep, we set off mid-morning on Sunday. The forecasted rain was yet to hit and, so making the most of the dry weather, we hit the streets. 

Everything was closed and there was hardly a soul anywhere. We ventured forth to Delfshaven, a small neighbourhood and historic harbour which survived the World War II bombing. 

It is unique in comparison to its surroundings, similar to the more typical Dutch housing found in Amsterdam. 

Dutch houses along the Aelbretchskade

The area which translates as harbour of Delft started as a colony in 1389 and at that time was very independent to Rotterdam. 

What was special however is that Delftshaven played an important role in the history of the Netherlands. 

In 1577 a man by the name of Piet Hein, a naval officer and folk hero who was born in the small fishing village, went on to capture a Spanish treasure fleet loaded with silver. 

The De Distilleerketel

Along the main canal we also stumbled across a fairly bleak dark brick church: the Pilgrim Fathers church. 

This is where the Pilgrim Fathers did their last service in 1620 before setting sail for the new world (later to be known as America). We tottered along the bank until we came to the end where stood a big windmill! 

But this one was actually called De Distilleerketel, a distillery! 

Delftshaven colony

The mill used to process malt which was used in making the traditional Netherlands liquor. Sadly, being a Sunday morning the remaining distillery was closed 

We were feeling quite energetic this Sunday morning and decided to walk further; back into the city centre. 

Looking down towards the windmill

Unusual cloud formation

The Pilgram Fathers Church

Small lanes of Delftshaven

Following a large canal we passed apartments and houses. Still the streets were quiet. It was as good a time as any to head off windmill hunting.

Kinderdijk windmill

This began our Rotterdam windmill adventure. 

Navigating the public transport fairly well we rode the metro over the Rotti Bridge our faces squished against the dirty glass, to the south of the city. 

From there, we grabbed a quick sausage roll snack to eat while we waited for a bus to take us onto Kinderdijk. 

Kinderdijk is a small village in the municipality of Molenwaard, locally known as 'Groene Hart' (Green Heart). 

It's believed that back in 1421, when there was serious flooding, a baby was found floating amongst the floods in a cradle, which is how the area received its name (child dike). The entire area is reclaimed land, however problems with the water continually occurred towards the 13th century. 

There they are standing in a row! 

Which to us didn't sound all that surprising as it's up to six metres below sea level. Large canals were dug to remove the excess water but to little avail. Several centuries later between 1738 and 1740 it was decided to build a series of windmills to pump water into a reservoir. There are currently nineteen windmills on the now dry ponder lands.  

Rest position

Slated roofing

Taking a rest stop

John waving in the foreground

Mere minutes before we arrived, the skies opened and the waiting rain came down. So upon exiting the bus we were caught in the onslaught. It was pretty darn miserable but rather than waiting it out we hired two bicycles and set off in the rain. Pumping our legs, we were off on our adventure. Following the trail down an embankment there were windmills everywhere! 

Taking the rain like a champ

On both sides of us they stood, some moved slowly in the wind but most just stood proud and erect. We raced along, stopping to take photos every fifty meters or so and to wipe the rain from our faces. We really enjoyed ourselves and with very few people out in the rain we nearly had the place to ourselves.

Enjoying the cycling

Odd shaped windmill here

Kara cycling back

Take the photo- its too wet! 

When we were too soggy and cold to keep going, we returned the bikes and made our way back home.

Outside the futuristic Maarkt

We really enjoyed our weekend in Rotterdam but would love to return in warmer weather to experience the nightlife and visit some of the many museums!

Tot siens,

John and Kara

Sloten, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Over the last several days a winter storm has raged outside. The winds whipped at the windows, causing small waves in the canal below our house. The rain felt like it would never stop and continually drizzled against the glass pane. The sturdy house battled against Mother Nature.

So we were pleasantly surprised to wake this morning and see a blue sky, blue like the deep end of a swimming pool. After a quick breakfast we donned our warm winter jackets and set off for Sloten. 

Sloten is a small Dutch village in North Holland, about two centuries older than Amsterdam. We couldn't find (in English) a lot of history about the village but one of the first references of the area date back to 1063. 

Windmill van Sloten

Windmill behind the Overtoom canal

The village is surprisingly close to our house, walking distance even! Engulfed by the expanding city, Sloten seems caught in a time warp; stuck between new residential apartments, farm land and canals. Approaching the little village the first thing we saw, towering over the landscape was a windmill! The Windmill van Sloten is a working mill, rebuilt in 1847 and was (still is) used to ensure that the water level in the low-lying surroundings remains below a specific level, by draining the area. This type of Dutch windmill is called a Stellingmolen, and while there were once tens of thousands across Holland, very few remain today.

North view, Windmill van Sloten

With its broad octagon shape and massive vanes (the propeller thing) that towered high above us it was really quite awesome! We decided that we will definitely come back during the opening hours for a tour! 

Crossing a large canal we hit the village's southwestern entrance: Sloterweg. In 1175, the village was bordered by a lake. But the lake was a constant threat and over centuries large bits of land was taken by the waterwolf (when a low lying lake enlarges and devours the land, usually in high spring tides or after heavy storms). 

Other villages in the area vanished in the waves but Sloten was relocated to its current position (onto a small raised area called Sloterweg) and the surrounding land was reclaimed from the lake. As we walked along Sloterweg, it was eerily quiet with only the odd cyclist whizzing past. 

The street was cobbled with small orange bricks and the houses along the main road were just beautiful. The free-standing houses are very small and their fronts are painted and decorated with gingerbread type facades. 

Sloteweg, main street

Upper Sloteweg 

House facades, Sloten

Decorated gingerbread houses! 

Old village square

We walked along peering down the side streets until we reached the deserted village square. In the square was the village water pump and to our right was the tiniest police station! Built in 1866 it was used as a cell where drunken villagers could 'sleep it off'. 

Today it is still used as a police administrative office making it the smallest police station in the Netherlands! 

Tiny police station

Village pump

We continued walking down the Main Street with our frozen hands hugging the insides of our pockets! Soon we had reached the end of the main road where the toll house stands. The toll house was used to collect a small tax to those entering the city. During the 14th to 16th century the road, called the pilgrims road, leading from the village was joined to the city of Amsterdam.

Residential housing 

Adorable cottages

Walking out of the village

Village catholic church

Interestingly, here we found a sign board indicating something called a banning pole. Since we had come to the edge of the village we had to go back and look for it! Hidden down a small alley between two houses we found the archaic banning pole! A banning pole was a type of boundary stake. In 1544 emperor Charles V granted Amsterdam the right to ban criminals, vagabonds or other undesirables to 'one German mile' (or 7.4km) outside the city gate. Banishment was a popular punishment for thieves and beggars, but also those who cursed or gambled.

Sloten banning pole

Close up of the banning pole

There were six banning posts along main approaches to the city and were used to indicate the banishment area. What is quite strange in Sloten is that the banning pole sits snuggled in the middle of the village, as if you were banned from Amsterdam but sure, you could live in Sloten. Built in 1794 the pole reads, in Latin, Terminus Proscriptions and means 'limit post of the banished'. Today Sloten is part of Amsterdam's wider city limits, falling under the city's municipality since 1921. 

Ordering a snack from the fish trailer 

And even though nobody has been banished since 1800, it seems that Sloten may have purposely been at one time home to many of Amsterdam's unwanted. Today there are still three other posts standing around Amsterdam marking the old banishing area which give a strange glimpse of Holland's history!

Fresh raw herring! 

After our short stroll through the village we sought to get rid off our growing hunger at a small roadside fish trailer. 

These trailers seem to be everywhere and satisfy the Dutch need for raw herring. 

Raw herring, a very fatty fish, is eaten with onions and pickles on a paper plate and is crazy popular. According to master fish taster John it's a 'buttery deliciousness'. Eaten for over 600 years in holland it's a staple part of Dutch cuisine! 

So standing roadside we gobbled down our fish, watched the windmill moving in the breeze and licked our lips.

Tot siens,

John and Kara