Oudewater & Marnemoende

July-6-2012         map coordinates:  52^o01’24.53”N 4^o51’50.70E and 52^O02”43.75”N5^o01”07.26”E

We stayed in Gouda a lot longer than we expected to.  Last year was a struggle to manage power.  This year we had shorepower and it was a lot more relaxing.  Also, Rob and his wife Jeannette invited us to dinner at their home and it was just a lot easier to stay put.  The dinner was really lovely.  Jeannette is a wonderful cook, and it’s possibly the best meal we’ve had in the Netherlands.  We always enjoy their company.  We also were in town for the flea market that week where I found my major souvenir for this trip, more on that later.  Even Bill enjoyed the market!! 

Then we were off to Oudewater, the witch city.  So far we are pretty much retracing part of the route from last year, but we do know what to expect.  Oudewater is a lovely, peaceful mooring. 

 Free too.  We really like it there, the only problem is no electrical hookups.  After three days, and hot (well, warm, it is the Netherlands) weather, the ice we’d made to carry over the fridge was all gone and everything was warm.  It was interesting to realize again how each place we stop has its own personality.  In Oudewater, folks pull up to a mooring and in about 5 minutes they’re settled in like it was home.  

In one case, there was a couple who pulled in in front of us on a rather small boat.  Within 5 minutes they’d tied up, taken off most of their clothes, and set up a little patio area for themselves on the grassy bank next to their boat.  It included the two adults, 3 dogs, one very large bird cage with one rather small parrot, two lawn chairs, a small cocktail table, beer and wine, a large plate full of nibbles and a varied selection of reading material.  School has just let out for the summer, and turns out the local teens prefer the area for swimming.  Every afternoon, groups would show up and strip down on the banks near the drawbridge and start throwing each other in.  Lots of kids out again in rubber boats, some can’t be much more than 8-10 years old, spending the whole day on their own with their friends running back and forth on this little river.  Amazing.

Our major problem with “culture shock”, if you can call it that, is that we’re still on our US mental schedule.  That puts us a bit out of synch.  The dutch sleep in late, we’re up early.  When we’re ready for bed, they’re just starting to party (and boy do they do that well!!).  And we’re always feeling a bit lost if we don’t have something that needs to be done.  Bill has been doing a lot of painting.

   If we were to take nothing else from this whole exercise in the end, I hope we finally learn how to relax.  There are many things I admire about the Dutch, and their ability to just live well with a good deal less pressure than we have seems central to it all. 

Anyway, from there we’ve moved on to the Marnemoende marina, just outside of Ijsselstein and Nieuwegein.  No food here, except at the rather upscale restaurant (which always seems to be booked full anyway), but everything else.  For us, it’s electricity, showers and laundry.  The weather reports have been calling for thunderstorms and lots of rain for the last week, but this was the first we’d seen of it.  Even then, it was only for a few minutes, and otherwise yesterday was gorgeous again.  Today is starting out foggy and with low overcast clouds.  All we have to do is get the laundry back to the boat dry, so this is just fine.  Almost a nice change from the sun we’ve had so much of this year.

Sorry we haven’t had so much about the typical tourist churches/museums/quaint cities stuff so far.  We pretty much covered that information last year, but soon we’ll be striking out in new directions so will include more then.  Next week we’re either heading toward Arnhem near the German border, or Gorinchem (pronounced Horkum, go figure) in the south.  We’ll make that decision at our next stop.

And now for a pop quiz:  at the Gouda flea market, I stumbled on a little device I’ve been coveting for years but never really thought I'd find.  

Can you guess what it is, and can anyone figure out how in the world I’m going to get all that cast iron back to the States?????

Till next time, tot ziens . . . .

Gouda

Gouda     6-21-2012    map coordinates     52^o00’35.65”N   4^o42’11.69”E

Oh my, Tuesday was a glorious day.  We started the engine at 9am and had planned to do a short easy 2 hour trip to Alphen just to get started.  The mooring place we had hoped to use was filled, but we knew that was a possibility so had a couple of second choices.  Thing was, all of them, and I do mean ALL of them, were obstructed by dredging operations.  5 hours later, we arrived in Gouda.  So much for our easy 2 hour trip.  But the beauty was that it all came back.  No panic over uncertainties, no worries about not being in control of the ship, nothing.  The weather cooperated.  It was probably the calmest wind conditions we’ve ever seen here.  It was sunny, with just enough clouds to eliminate glare off the water.  Everything went beautifully and smoothly.  The weather has been fantastic as well.  Warm, or at least warm enough.  Gouda would not have been our first choice of a place to re-visit, but it’s a bit like coming home. 

                We know the schedules, the routines, where everything is. 

  We’re continuing to upgrade the ship, I’ve almost got my summer garden in,

 and there’s a water heritage weekend in the historical harbor through Sunday. 

 Right now, we’re in the middle of a raging storm,  which is actually kind of cozy.  Forecasts are calling for thunder storms, wind gusts of up to 100k/h, possible hail.  Bring it on. 

 By chance we found a nice Italian sparkling rose to have with dinner,  that may have something to do with the mellow mood.  For comic relief, we’re listening to Dutch talk radio and what Bill refers to as Dutch soap opera radio, some kind of crime series.  More later, tot ziens . . . . 

Leimuiden    6-16-2012         map coordinates:    52^o13’41.43”N     4^o40’59.23”E

Well, this morning has been interesting.  We’re still at Kempers.  Depending on the weather, we’ve been working hard and preparing and improving the boat.  Nice days (more so far than last year) we work outside or walk into town or both.  Not-so-nice days, we work inside or hibernate.  About all we have to do now is repair the name on the starboard side, plan our first route, and then wait for a day when weather and wind cooperate so we can start our travels for this summer.  Looks like we’ll be heading east on a path parallel to our track from Gouda to Utrecht last year, then try to meet up with Jeannet somewhere so she can see this boat.  After that, we still have no idea where we’re headed.  But, at least it’s a start.

What’s been interesting about this particular Saturday is all the new boats.  About 7am, all sorts of boats started arriving and almost literally piling up at the repair dock in the marina. 

Big, little, 

new, old,

well kept and a few not-so-much.  Seems this is the 9^th year  that the Westeinderplassen, the lake just south of the Amsterdam airport, has hosted a day where volunteers bring their boats and take folks with physical or mental handicaps and their caregivers out for a day on the lake.  They were hoping for at least 60 boats, and they may well have made their target.   Also later there will be music and dancing in one of the big worksheds.  I’m assuming food as well.  I don’t think we’re going to crash the party, but we’ve been enthusiastically welcoming the participants and cheering them on.  Give the Dutch credit, they do know how to party and they do it often.  Some really gorgeous boats, old and new (I’m partial to the old), 

and they have a rare and beautiful day for it.  Well done!!!

Right now, it looks like Tuesday through Thursday of next week will be decent traveling days, so that’s our tentative plan.  Will have more to report after we start moving.  Best to all, and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to Adam and Amy!!!!

LEIMUIDEN   6-6-2012

OK we’re back.  It seemed to be a very long trip this year, and it probably didn’t help that our flight didn’t leave Dulles until almost 9pm.  We finally have  phones and internet sorted.  And we've been working our little behinds off. 

First order of business was a bed to sleep on.  Last year we tore out the whole forward sleeping area,

literally down to the hull,

and I spent the whole 8 months between then and now researching the best way to hack IKEA for something to sleep on.  That worked great!, I just didn't manage to calculate for something small like getting the door to the toilet open more than a crack.  We stewed over that for a few hours, then Bill came up with the solution:  who needs a door? (???)  We canabalized a seldom used tablecloth and the toilet now has a curtain  --  and is actually much more pleasant.  The bed is worth it.  Last year we slept on a triangle of mattress that wasn't big enough for one.  Now we have what feels like acres of space.  There's no room for anything else

but who cares???  Of course, making a trip to IKEA to buy the stuff, putting it all together and then figuring out how to make it work took up one very, VERY long Saturday.  Sunday was enforced downtime.  Nothing is open here (from Saturday late pm to Monday mid-day) and it was pouring rain all day, cold and windy, so we hibernated. 

(I did get some weatherstripping up on the doors.)  Monday was the great expedition to buy a refrigerator.    YES!!!!    I FINALLY HAVE ONE!!!!    Got it into the back of the rental car, strongarmed it through the construction zone (Kempers Marina is undergoing major renovation), down the docks and onto the boat without dropping it over the side, and THEN we had to tear out cabinets to make space for it, AND THEN change which side the door opened on.  Without instructions.  Not even in Dutch.  Another very long day, but productive.

Yesterday we went to see Jeannet in Doorn.  Lovely lunch, and I wish I’d taken the camera for photos of the restaurant.  Her daughter, Mirjam, had her wedding and reception there almost 20 years ago.  In the woods, but with a big field to one side that later in the year will be covered in heather.  It’s a 2 story circular building and the conical roof on the second floor is painted blue with a little poem that says “enter sir, enter madam, here the sky is always blue”.  I think we got there as they had just opened for lunch and by the time we left we were almost the last diners out.

 

Today we head for the marine supply store.  The door to the wheelhouse is a mess, so we need supplies to strip and re-varnish that.  A few other things, like trying to swap out the lighting bulbs for LEDs.  Bill wants some ground anchors.  Then just a few minor things and we’ll be waiting for decent weather so we can take off for the summer.   – Of course, there’s still a shower to organize, and the new flooring stored under the bed that we’ll need to install, but I suspect that will be an all-summer-long project that we’ll just work on bit-by-bit.  We’ll see.  ---Tot Ziens

Guardian Angels

Well, we made it home safely.  And at the end of this first trip, I need to acknowledge a few guardian angels who have helped make this all possible.

• First and foremost, Tam and Di Murrell in France. Two years ago, they spent time teaching us the basics and helping us get the licenses we needed to do this properly. We would never have gotten anywhere near off the ground without them, and their DVD helps keep it fresh.
• Next, Tom Schneider in Leimuiden and John Martino in Annapolis. They’ve taken us out on boats to gain experience, answered questions with knowledge and good humor, and made us safer in the process.
• To Roger Van Dyken for his book Barging in Europe. It’s been our boating bible. It has a permanent place on our bookshelves in the States and in Europe, and has helped us avoid potentially expensive and dangerous mistakes.
• To the folks at Kempers Marina near Leimuiden on the Westeinderplassen, especially Wilma and Donald. They've taken care of so many things for us this first year, and done it cheerfully, well, and they've taught us a lot in the process.
• Thanks to a host of canal bloggers, and to the contributors and administrators of various internet forums, especially EuroCanals and the DBA, for nurturing the dream.

And to all we’ve met this first year who have helped with friendship, knowledge, and advice. We hope some day to be able to continue the service.

And Almost Time to Leave

Leimuiden     9-20-2011     16:45

We've been sitting in the marina now for over two weeks, organizing, cleaning, and trying to get work done to be ready for next year. The weather has generally been miserable, but this afternoon and evening are beautiful for a change. Too bad we spent it tearing apart the "bedroom."

We got an estimate the end of the week for work we were considering having done, and we're still dizzy from the total. Most of it, anything discretionary, will remain undone or will be done by us later. The big job, conservation on the forward hull, has to be done and we don't have the resources yet to do it ourselves. However, when looking at the total we decided we could save a nice piece of change by emptying the area over the problem before we leave instead of paying the current per hour cost to someone else. Besides, we do not like the sleeping arrangements, so why pay someone to tear it out and then put it back? We've spent the better part of the day with limited tools taking out a VERY solidly built-in bed structure. There's a huge sense of accomplishment that comes along with that, as well as an unexpected side benefit -- we can now close the toilet door!! We had thought that time and moisture had warped the door and we would need a power sander to reshape the door at some point. Turns out, it was just pressure from the bed frame pushing on the wall, not the door itself, and now it's a perfect fit. I think the best feeling, though, is that we are really starting to take possession of this boat and make it ours. I've reconfigured the kitchen cabinets in anticipation of a refrigerator next year. We've taken out the big built-in table in the saloon and will probably replace it with something a bit smaller and more versatile next year, but for right now we have lots more room and a much less congested walkway. And now we actually have the possibility of a bed that's big enough. (And I won't have to sleep pressed up against the cold hull!)

In addition, we've made friends with some of our more intrepid neighbors. There are very few humans around, but the wildlife, particularly the birds, are coming out. There are a few of these funny little black waterbirds with white bits on their faces that are terrified of humans, but they come nagging for bread in the morning now.

 And there is a pheasant family that wanders by in the evening.

The lighting is just too dim to get photos of them, but Dad comes out at other times of the day and suns himself on the local park bench.

We went to see Jeannet yeaterday for what she called a "till next year" party.

Mostly, we just had lunch with her at her summer house,

then hurried to get back to Leimuiden before it turned dark. Now a couple more days of house cleaning and home on Thursday. We do miss the kids, and it's cool and damp enough here in September that we're ready for home.

Anyway, that's life here: slow and winding down for the year.

Almost Over

Leimuiden     9/11/2011     18:10

I guess we have to say that things are slowing to a close here.  Mostly, we’re cleaning, relaxing, and making arrangements to leave the boat here over the winter and have some work done while we’re gone.  Every day seems to involve a long walk, mostly into town to see what we can find for dinner.  It will be nice to get back to a real kitchen!  I was going to try to meet a friend from the States, Karen Thompson, in Amsterdam on Thursday, but it has been very cold and rainy and we decided that staying warm and dry was the better choice.  Saturday was beautiful, today somewhat the same only chillier.  We did get into town today to see the Shantyfest.

We were a little late getting started and were reminded by blaring brass in the distance as a band introduced the day. 

Right now we’re back at the boat, but the shanty choirs have moved to the Leimuiden lift bridge and are giving a mass performance there which we can hear back at the marine.  Even with the doors and windows closed!  We did get a CD, so Adam can listen.

The other fun item that greets us on our nearly daily walks is the local auto repair shop on at the (only) major intersection.

Apparently, it specializes in vintage/antique cars.  There are quite a few that have been restored and are for sale.  Two old Volvos like Bill’s first car, though I suspect that the current asking price is several times what they sold for new.  We saw an Austin Healey coming in for repairs last week, and there are several vehicles that look like they are straight out of French World War II movies.  1950s sports cars, and even a couple of vintage Deux Chevaux delivery trucks!  Other than that, life is very slow.  We will probably take at least one day to visit Jeannet before we leave, and perhaps another to go into a town with more services.  We're just getting things organized for the winter.  So, we'll be seeing you-all soon . . . .