Vianen & Gorinchem

Vianen & Gorinchem

Map coordinates: 

51^o59’26.29”N 5^o05’26.29”E & 51^o49’53.36”N 4^o58’38.55”E

Vianen was only supposed to be a convenient half-way stop on the way to Gorinchem.  What a surprise!!  It really is a lovely town,

and has the most amazing church.

The windows are just simple glass, not stained or colored, and they do nothing more than let in the light.  It actually lets you understand even better the reason Gothic cathedrals were so revolutionary and gives you a much better appreciation for all that space, though unfortunately photos don’t do it justice.

Our mooring was on a disused off shoot of the canal, and not particularly attractive, but within half a block walk you are on the edge of town and walking along a canal that follows the old town wall. 

One of the things I love about the Dutch is how well they (usually) integrate the really old with the really new.  Some of the wall is truly ancient, and then you come to a new section. 

The style and design are the same, but the newly build part makes no effort to appear old.  And, they apparently have built new housing right up into the wall, yet have left the old part intact. 

The conservator in me really appreciates the distinction, and the fact that most often here using old buildings does not mean compromising their historical integrity.

We stayed a couple of weekend nights in Vianen, and it was the first time we really needed chipped credit cards.  The mooring fee was paid using an automated machine, and even the official who came by to check if we’d paid couldn’t figure out how we should pay.  We wound up staying for nothing.  Other than that, it was really pleasant.  All the services we needed were with a block or two.  They were also the first really rainy days we’ve had this year, so it was nice to hunker down with everything in easy striking distance.

Then, it was on to Gorinchem (pronounced Horkum).  We’re moored on one of the two canals that run through the center of town. 

It was a completely walled town, star shaped fortifications, with a canal around the outer wall.  The southern edge is situated near the confluence of the Maas and the Waal, and it has for eons been a center of commerce, trade, and thus a magnet for conflict.  Bill loves the cannons and keeps asking for one for the boat.

Every evening, a loud drumming announces the passage of the Dragon Boats practicing for races coming up here soon.

 Got to love it!!

We’re beginning to venture into the areas dominated by what the Dutch refer to as the Great Rivers.  I used to tell Bill that if we fell overboard it wasn’t any problem.  It was a canal, just stand up and walk out!  Well not any more . . . .

(That little dot is a boat the size of ours.)

There’s another interesting church in the center of town.  This one has a medieval tower, but a 19^th century Italianate(???) church, and they really seem mis-matched.  An interesting juxtaposition.

A day or two ago we walked the 7 km path around the former city walls.  Lots of water, canals, locks, fortifications, but what really impressed us was the garden area to the east of the city.  Everywhere we’ve been in Europe, admittedly limited, there have been areas set aside for city residents to use for gardening.  In Great Britain, they’d be called allotments.  Here in Gorinchem they are surrounded by water and have a decidedly Monet-esque appeal.

 All generally have some sort of garden shed, sometimes simple, more often on the order of a small garden pavilion or tea house.  Since the “allotments” in Gorinchem are surrounded by water and lily pads, they even have their own occasional water deck! 

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We’re planning on staying through Sunday, then heading back through Vianen and east to meet up with Jeannet, her daughter Mirjam, and their friend Peter in Wijk bij Duurstede. After that, probably on to Arnhem.  There’s supposed to be a flea market here on Saturday, so we’ll see what that brings.  The plan to just live on the boat last year and start making “improvements” this year seems to have worked well.  We’re settling in nicely and the comfort level is really much higher this year.  Made first batch of brownies this am during a rain storm (cozy!! Gezelig!!).

[There is an absolutely GORGEOUS tjalk going by right now, WAT MOI!!!!]

Anyway, got to run and make dinner.  Tot ziens!