Stream in Giethoorn,pen and ink,
Holland landscapes
Waterpoort, Sneek, Nederlands pen and ink drawing
Sneek is a small city in Friesland, the northeast part of the Nederlands. It has a gorgeous gate and other architectural gems. It faces the canal. We were moored just in front of it.
Three pen and ink drawings from recent travels in the Nederlands
August 17, 2019
We stayed on an island near Woudseen, from which I drew this scene. It is a tranquil spot with room for about 12 boats. The island has many mice who dig in the sand. We were there for two nights.
This mooring is on the outskirts of Lelystad, also a free mooring with room for 3 or 4 boats. You can get to Lelystad by bike easily. It’s a pretty ride through the forest part of the way. There were several groups of rowers while we were there for a few days.
The Batavialand Museum in Lelystad offers a very interesting visit. The Batavia replica is a major attraction. The original dates from circa 1628. It was the flagship of the Dutch East India Company. The exploitation of the resources of Indonesia was the major contributor to the country’s Golden Age, from which much of its finest architecture and art dates. The Company made Holland the world’s largest trading nation at the time. Even today Holland is a major trading nation, the world’s fifth largest according to a guide. You can walk almost everywhere on the ship.
There is a superb tapestry recounting the history of the region created by 27 volunteers, one of whom was inspired to do so after seeing the Bayeaux Tapestry. It starts around 6000 years ago at the time of the earliest known settlement, moving to the Roman era, the middle ages and Dutch Golden Age with the founding and development of the Dutch East India Cmpany. It then moves to the creation of the polder in the late 1920’s and up to the present day. Peg made a video of a large portion of it. [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_4Utat-Go4[/embedyt]
There is an exhibit displaying the archaeological findings from the earliest period. Childen played in a waterworks exhibit, lifting and moving water and boats. So Dutch! You walk outside to get to the Batavia, build some 30 years ago and in need of major repairs. It will be coming out of the water soon and will probably be closed to visitors for several years.
Viking at Geldese Hout Bridge
Churches in Delft and Haarlem in pen and ink
July 15, 2019
Delft is a lovely small town, with two superb large churches. This is the Nieuwe (New) Kerk.
For a mere 3 euros you can have a coke and draw the church in Haarlem’s main square.
Muiden Castle, water color
Muiden is a small town near Weesp. It’s castle protected the entrance to Amsterdam from the southeast. There’s a large lock controlling entrance to the Vecht River where the moated castle is located.
Bridge in Edam, watercolor painting
This is a watercolor painting of a bridge in Edam. The narrow canal is protected from the Ijsselmeer by a lock. There are 7 bridges. A bridge tender takes you through, biking from one to the next. It’s a lovely place to visit, by boat or otherwise.
