Down the Vecht

Maarssen     8/8/2011     13:20

 Today we went out for the first time and played with “the big guys.”  Took a shortcut on the Amsterdam-Rijn Kanaal. 

We spent 10.5 km, or about an hour, on a nice wide waterway with the big Rhine barges you think about more in Germany.  The canal was deep enough and wide enough that, between poor weather and waves from passing freighters, the chop and wash was more like the Chesapeake on a poor day than anything we’ve seen over here.  The beauty of it was that there were no locks, or bridges, that had to be opened, so it was a straight shot right through.  Now we’re going to take a break, have something to eat (FEED BILL) and then try to find the town center so we can replenish supplies and find out what there is to do here besides gawk.  We plan to take a bus into Utrecht at least one of the days we stay here.  We really have no idea how long that might be --- what else is new??  However, we are now on the Vecht River.  Several rivers are described as the most beautiful in the Netherlands, and all have their charms, but the Vecht is the one most associated with that title.  So, photos will follow . . . .

Maarssen     8/9/2011     5:00

Malicious mischief.  Someone took our mooring lines off the mooring posts while we’ve been asleep. 

Luckily, there is no wind or current so no damage was done and the lines were reset quickly and easily.  Hardly even any inconvenience.  It is a bit disconcerting to have it happen only 6 weeks into our first boating experience, though.  One hears about this sort of thing occasionally (usually in France), but most folks never have it happen to them.  It can be quite dangerous in the wrong circumstances.  There had been an altercation earlier in the evening between a boat trying to dock and some men fishing in the mooring space, serious enough that the police were called.  Perhaps we were just a more inviting target for retaliation.  Spoke to the authorities about it, but they could only ask for more police patrols at night.  Not good . . .

 Maarssen & Utrecht     8/10/2011     16:00

 Found the bus and took it into Utrecht today.  I was very disappointed not to find the needlework store Jeannet took us to our first visit here in 1993.  We did have lunch at one of the iconic restaurants along the canal level.

The business street level is one level up from that. 

Formerly, the warehouse entrances were at canal level, the streets were raised well above.

It would have been nice to have a good Dutch meal, but all the restaurants are ethnic!!  Lots of pizza, an Arab/Lebanese place, Argentine steak houses abound.  (Don’t get me started on the Dutch version of Tex-Mex!!!)  Wandered in the old city for most of the day.  There are some lovely examples of old buildings,

and just the age of the cobblestones, the bridges, and the building construction is mesmerizing.  And we were tickled that we were able to negotiate the transportation system like natives.  Also ran into Vickie and Max, two of the Australians from Haarlem/Gouda, after we returned to Maarssen, so Bill had someone to talk to.  I almost have him convinced to take Dutch classes at the Belgian Embassy this year.  Anyway, we head for Breukelen (Brooklyn) tomorrow. 

Breukelen     8/11/2011     13:00

Interesting day traveling today.  There were a few challenges out of the ordinary and, surprise of surprises, we handled them fairly well!  It helped that the Vecht widened a bit after we left Maarssen and we had more room to maneuver.  Breukelen is a tiny little town in an area that the Dutch come to for country walks and bike rides.  They have also converted some of the old houses built as country homes by the bankers and diamond merchants into schools and venues for conferences

and weddings.  The weddings come complete with horsedrawn carrages.  (And the horses are those lovely small black Fresian draft horses!)

Very peaceful.  We’re really starting to treasure that.

Weesp     8/13/2011     14:51

Breukelen only lets you stay 2 x 24 hours!  So, we were on the move again today to Weesp where they’re letting us stay 5 days.  However, we have ELECTRICITY!!!!!  Weesp itself is a cute little town just east of Amsterdam and just south of the Ijsselmeer (formerly the Zuiderzee).  We are moored on a quiet grassy bank,

the only noise is the ducks arguing with each other and occasionally the 12 year old Golden Retriever (Kaspar) on the boat behind us.  Today’s triumphs:  we got out of a tricky mooring in Breukelen, and into an even trickier one here.  No running into other boats, no scraping paint off the hull, no lost fenders.  The Vecht lived up to its reputation as a lovely place.

My favorite was a town called Vreeland,

unfortunately no moorings or reason to stop there other than that it was gorgeous.  We took another shortcut on the Amsterdam-Rijn Kanaal and had to deal with more of the big freighter barges this time.

Probably because it wasn’t Sunday.  All you have to do is stay out of their way, but they sure do throw off a lot of energy in their bow waves.  Doors flying open, drawers coming off their slides, the fire extinguisher banging against the wheelhouse wall like a jackhammer.  We’re also learning how to handle this boat in some fairly miserable weather.  Dutch friends have been apologizing since we got here for the poor weather, though I can’t see what control they have over it.  We’re just enjoying learning to live in a different environment. 

Weesp     8/14/2011     18:40

Walked into town today to have a late lunch.  Sat on the quai just inside the lock into the town center and watched the boats coming through.

Perhaps we’re getting to the dangerous cockey stage, but we’re beginning to notice boaters who handle their vessels much worse than we do.  You often hear the comment “Everyone in the Netherlands has a boat.”  Maybe not quite, but it certainly seems that way on weekends.  We were sitting across from the church in the center of town. 

We realized, after a few moments, that there was a docking stage just in front, evidently with blue signs reserving the area for parishioners arriving by boat!!!

Click on the photo and maybe it will enlarge enough for you to see the signs. That really makes you realize just how deeply the water is ingrained into this culture.   

Tot later.