Gary J Kirkpatrick, Art and Travel

Author: Gary Kirkpatrick

  • The Dutch Frolic on the Canals

    Boating is a major component significant part of Dutch culture, as much as are bicycles. There are hundreds of thousands of pleasure craft who share the main waterways with 100 meter barges and service ships. But the small canals which crisscross the country belong to the small. Mostly.

    The Province of Friesland is one of the most popular destinations, with thousands of free moorings and many historic small towns. We moored near Grou with some Dutch friends whom we have known for many years. We were endlessly entertained by a wide variety of boats. Some were filled with just young men out with perhaps a dozen friends for a beer or three, cheering as they passed.

    The canal we were on is just 50 meters wide. The large ships loomed over us, its bow wave pressing us into the docks.

    A Mississippi style paddle wheel day cruiser
    Wedding part waves as they pass

    There were stag and wedding parties, day and dinner cruises. The Dutch love their watery land.

    A large ship passes by on the small canal
    The longest day ends close to midnight

  • By small boat to Appingedam and Delfzij

    Appingedam and Delfzijl are located in the less visited far northeast of the Netherlands. Delfzijl sits on the shore of the bay into which the Eems River empties, connecting it to the North Sea. Appingedam is a few kilometers inland. Both are served by the Eemscanal, a large barge capable canal.

    Appingedam picturesque municipal harbor is in the center, reached through a small lock and then by a tiny canal. The harbormaster came to open the bridge and with very basic English guided us to a back in box. Our bow thruster having just failed in high winds just as we arrived at the lock, getting into a narrow box just a half meter wider that our boat can be a bit of a challenge. We managed to get him to allow us to stay where it is easier to dock.

    Appingedam has been inhabited since prehistoric times, coming into history in the 13th century. It was located on the Delf River, now called the Damsterdiep. The name ‘Appingedam’ refers to the dam built on the Appe (aka Apt) In 1327. It was then a seaport with good access via the river, becoming a trade hub for destinations in Germany and the Baltic. It was then part of Frisia (Friesland), a region of Frisia called Fivelingo. Nowadays it sits between two canals, completely surrounded by water.

    It’s famous hnging kitchens

    In 1536 Appingendam and Gronigen went to war over trade. Appingendam was destroyed, losing it’s position as a trade hub. It was not dead altogether, however. It regained enough economic health that there were funds to build the City Hall in the 1630’s. By the late 1800’s cattle, flour, oil and five breweries provided employment and growth.

    Delfzijl is now the more important of the two towns, being the fifth largest port in the Netherlands. “Delftzijl” refers to a fortified lock on the old Delf canal that connected the rivers Fifel and the Eems. It has been a major port since the Middle Ages. There were six bastions, built in 1591. The town has been the focus of several battles involving the Spanish and French, and in WW2, the Nazis. Today, despite being a fairly important port, the town shows signs of economic stress, with a noticeable number of empty commercial spaces awaiting tenants.

    The bastions of 1591

    We had lunch at Cafeteria Rex. It was doing good business as we waited. It’s set up as a lunchroom with the grill behind the bar so you can watch them work. The lekkerbeck (deep fried cod) was much less expensive than in Gronigen, at €7 versus €10, and bitterballen likewise, and just as good. Bitterballen are a breaded and then deep fried snack made with a stew thickened with roux. In this beef stew they add onions, salt, pepper, parsley and nutmeg.

    The town is protected by a 9 meter/ 30′ dike, sluices and a pumping station. At low tide the sluices open to drain the land. The pumps are used if the low tide is too high to allow for gravity drainage.

    The Uitwierde Church has a free standing tower circa 1200. The church sits on an artificial mound dating from well before the construction of dikes. There’s an old windmill, Mill Adam. The Adam is a corn mill. Originally, the Adam was was paired with the Mill Eva. Adam Mill is now an art exposition space. No one knows if Adam Mill misses Eva Mill. https://www.visitgroningen.nl/en/locations/eemsdelta/blissfully-happy-in-delfzijl/culture-in-delfzijl

    Uitwierde Church

    There’s a monolith tomb dating to 3400 BCE.

  • Two Houses on a Dutch Canal

    Two Houses on a Canal, watercolor, r, 21 x 29 cm/8.3 x 11.8″
    How it might look on your wall

    We came upon this scene not far from Kalenberg, Netherlands. Kalenberg is in Friesland, which has some of the most picturesque scenes in the country. I have abstracted some of the foliage, sky and water.

  • The Almshouses of Gronigen

    Pope Steven V issued a decree in 816 requiring every bishop to establish an almshouse, (‘gasthuis’ in Dutch). In the Middle Ages these houses served the sick, the poor, and pilgrims. One of the almshouses in Gronigen was the first in Europe to provide housing for the mentally ill, allowing the public to peep through the windows on Sundays to observe their behaviors.

    Today you can visit the courtyards and gardens of many of the 30 almshouses, which largely remain occupied by those who qualify for assistance. We visited a dozen or so in a two hour walk around town using the “Almhouses” booklet we bought from the tourist information center. Here are some comments about a few of the houses along with some photos of the interesting old architecture and lovely gardens.

    Heiligen Geesthuis is the oldest almshouse, founded in the 12th century by the Order of the Holy Spirit Masters. There are five inner courtyards. There was a hospital. The tower houses the oldest bell in Gronigen.

    The Armhuiszitten Convent  managed several almshouses while also distributing food to the poor, starting in the 15th century. The Pelstergasthuis was founded as accommodation for pilgrims. The Pepergasthuis, dedicated to Saint Gertrude, served pilgrims in her heavenly portfolio. Later the house also served the mentally ill, the poor and elderly, leaving the physically ill to others. The ‘Madhouse Fair,’ as they called it, occurred every Sunday.

    St AnthonyGashuis took in plague victims. It was also located outside the city walls in an effort to quarantine. However they also took in the poor, whom no doubt were allowed to circulate in the town at will. They did not yet have germ theory obviously.

    Juffer Tette Alberdagasthuis
    St Anthony Gasthuis

    In 1479 Synerd de Mepshen founded Mepshengasthuis/Sint-Annengasthuis in honor of Saint Anna to house 15 people. She was the window of Mayor Otto ter Hansouwe.

    Red dots show the almshouses you can visit

    On a sunny day you can get some great photos of the picturesque gardens and the medieval architecture.

  • Ink figure drawings

    Some ink drawings and sketches

  • Chaos and economic ruin (anti-Trump)

    Trump’s agreement to agree is a surrender

  • Thatched Roof House on Canal (watercolor painting)

    Thatched Roof House on Canal, watercolor, 21 x 29 cm/8.3 x 11.8″

    There are many thatched roofs in the northeastern area of the Netherlands. I decided to let this one veer towards realism to give the viewer a sense of what being on the boat is like in this country. We were moored around the curve thus the canal appears off to the side.

  • A Visit to Closeburn Castle (video slide show)

    A Visit to Closeburn, the Kirkpatrick Family Castle
  • Once upon a zee

    Once upon a zee

    Before the construction of Flevoland, Genemuiden was a port on the Zuiderzee. It was granted city rights all the way back in 1275. Nothing remains from before 1866, unfortunately, when fires destroyed the town after haystacks caught fire. To this day there is no smoking permitted on that street, probably the only such designation in the EU.

    Judging by the 5 churches in the town there’s a lot of interest in religion in the town, but of course actual attendance is another matter. All the churches are Protestant in this northeast edge of the country’s Bible-belt. In some areas of the Bible belt people adhere to old fashioned clothing. I do not see that here.

    We arrived on Ascension day to find closures and reduced hours. The Eet Cafe, for example, was open but only provided beverages. Few people were out on the streets. It’s a national holiday, which no doubt accounts for the lack of activity, rather than Ascension day, as that’s a Catholic celebration. Unfortunately the harbor meister did stop by for our payment.

    We came here to have electricity as the overnight temperature was to drop to 3c, about 38f. We use a small electric heater when plugged into shore power, otherwise we have a diesel heater. We do not run the diesel heater at night to avoid CO accumulation. It takes the chill off in the morning when our indoor temperatures drops to around 15-16c, in the low 60’s.

    Floor mats made from bull rush reed that grew on the shoreline of the Zuiderzee was a principal product of the town. When Flevoland cut off the sea the bull rush was unable to survive the change. Now they import coconut fiber from India to make the mats and have expanded to a wide range of materials and products. Most of the town’s employment come from the large factories.

    We learned this and more at the Tapijtmuseum, https://www.tapijtmuseum.nl/over-het-museum after a good kip (chicken) sate at the friendly Eet Cafe Schippers. In the days of bull rush weaving, men waded into the reeds wearing clogs, a leather shin protector, ordinary clothes and a scythe to harvest the reed. This occurred in July and August but still the water is cold if you are in it all day. They could harvest up 100 bundles a day per person. At 3 p.m. they put the reeds out to dry in the wind and sun, after which the reeds were processed into mats. From the early hand weaving they have progressed to the most modern, computer-run equipment.

    Processing the harvest
    Operating the old electric loom
    Poster at the Eet Cafe

    Two loom operator’s joined our guide, who explained how the historic looms worked. Among their collection is a Jacquard loom, patented by the Frenchman of that name in 1802. It uses punch cards to weave complex designs, now done by computers. Each pass of the loom moves another card into place. It’s introduction revolutionized the industry.

    Queen Maxima wearing her maxed out hat inaugurated the reopening of the museum in September 2026 following its renovation. The Queen walked on an orange carpet laid for the occasion.

    Queen Maxima

    After our friendly retired civil engineer tour guide finished up with the Dutch couple that’d joined us, we were invited to have a coffee. The entire staff, being two women and the tour guide after he wrapped up, joined us. They wanted to know where we were from and where we were going. They made us feel right at home. We always find a way to compliment our host country. Certainly the Netherlands has much to offer.

    And then we were off to fight the wind at the municipal marina’s water point dock before mooring once again at the small haven just outside town.

  • Cochem on the Moselle III

    Cochem on the Moselle III, acrylics on Canson paper, 78 x 56 cm, /30 x 22″

    Cochem is on the Moselle River. We cruised there aboard our boat Viking. The view of the castle from our mooring was fabulous. I climbed the mountain for the views of the river and surrounding area.

    This painting is similar to Cochem II, with variations in details as well as being much larger. To see Cochem II go to https://garyjkirkpatrick.com/cochem-ii-watercolor/