Oudewater 8-1/4-2011 19:34
We've spent the last 3 nights in Oudewater.
Oudewater is an absolutely charming and tranquile town that made it's "fortune" in the rope making industry when all that was done by hand, but it's more notorious claim to fame is that it was the city where they used a scale to weigh witches. See here the museum that houses the scales and the history of the town's notoriety:
It seems that the town fathers decided that you had to be inordinately light weight to be able to fly on a broom. Something about having made a bargain with the devil and the earth rejecting you and pushing you away, thus negating the effects of what would later be known as gravity. The beauty of this is, no one was ever convicted of being a witch in Oudewater, even though they prided themselves on being at the "forefront" of the "logical" search. More important for us, it was an early stop after an unbelievably long and draining wait at a lock from Gouda. We must have loitered for nearly an hour with engine running, first waiting our turn in this tiny bottle-neck of a lock, then waiting for the lock to fill so we could be let out. Not a long journey in terms of km, but in terms of hours it was immense. So, despite no electricity, water, or any acknowleged services for boaters, we stayed. In fact, the city was so charming and relaxing,
we stayed the allowed 3 days. This time, the moorings were free, our first for this trip. All along the canals and rivers there are occasional places where the moorings are absolutely gratis. If you're a skinflint and you are careful, you can spend the whole summer without paying a cent, Euro or Dollar, for mooring fees. Oudewater's brochure laments some of the old buildings that have been torn down, but it probably has a denser concentration of old[er] buildings than any of the more wellknown places we've been.
We were so taken that the lack of electricity, fast becoming a major concern, didn't bother us at all. Well, not so-o much. There were enough restaurants and cafes at every price point, we were able to indulge ourselves
and made a habit of walking into town evenings for an ice cream cone in the market square. We even managed to find some of those services that we were told didn't exist. We had a small calamity when one of the chairs Frank & Betty had left on the boat disintegrated. We were able to find a couple at what amounted to a $$ store, most importantly they were light enough to carry back to the boat. We stocked up on food, as much as we can, and have now left and are at our "spa" rest stop. That is a commercial marina about half way between Montfoort and IJsselstein. The only thing they don't have here is a grocery store and a town. It is ONLY the marina, but they have laundry, electricity, WiFi (!!), a restaurant with COLD beer, repairs (we had a small one to deal with), showers, etc., etc., etc. We're doing a couple of major loads of laundry while we're here, planning to rent a bike for Bill and go the 5 km into the nearest town just to do it (and maybe for food), and of course pig-out on internet. We're planning on heading to the moorings in Utrecht on Monday, but that may change if they are too crowded, then back out into the Amsterdam-Rijn Kanaal (our first foray into life with the big Rhine barges) and then cutting in up the Vecht. We will have to see. Nothing about this venture is really plan-able. So, till later --- tot ziens.
Oudewater is an absolutely charming and tranquile town that made it's "fortune" in the rope making industry when all that was done by hand, but it's more notorious claim to fame is that it was the city where they used a scale to weigh witches. See here the museum that houses the scales and the history of the town's notoriety:
It seems that the town fathers decided that you had to be inordinately light weight to be able to fly on a broom. Something about having made a bargain with the devil and the earth rejecting you and pushing you away, thus negating the effects of what would later be known as gravity. The beauty of this is, no one was ever convicted of being a witch in Oudewater, even though they prided themselves on being at the "forefront" of the "logical" search. More important for us, it was an early stop after an unbelievably long and draining wait at a lock from Gouda. We must have loitered for nearly an hour with engine running, first waiting our turn in this tiny bottle-neck of a lock, then waiting for the lock to fill so we could be let out. Not a long journey in terms of km, but in terms of hours it was immense. So, despite no electricity, water, or any acknowleged services for boaters, we stayed. In fact, the city was so charming and relaxing,
and made a habit of walking into town evenings for an ice cream cone in the market square. We even managed to find some of those services that we were told didn't exist. We had a small calamity when one of the chairs Frank & Betty had left on the boat disintegrated. We were able to find a couple at what amounted to a $$ store, most importantly they were light enough to carry back to the boat. We stocked up on food, as much as we can, and have now left and are at our "spa" rest stop. That is a commercial marina about half way between Montfoort and IJsselstein. The only thing they don't have here is a grocery store and a town. It is ONLY the marina, but they have laundry, electricity, WiFi (!!), a restaurant with COLD beer, repairs (we had a small one to deal with), showers, etc., etc., etc. We're doing a couple of major loads of laundry while we're here, planning to rent a bike for Bill and go the 5 km into the nearest town just to do it (and maybe for food), and of course pig-out on internet. We're planning on heading to the moorings in Utrecht on Monday, but that may change if they are too crowded, then back out into the Amsterdam-Rijn Kanaal (our first foray into life with the big Rhine barges) and then cutting in up the Vecht. We will have to see. Nothing about this venture is really plan-able. So, till later --- tot ziens.
Out in the Middle of Nowhere 8-6-2011 13:02
Bill just told me I'm becoming an internet junkie. What's with this "becoming???" I thought I was long beyond that stage! We've been at the Marnemoende Marina for two days now
and it's amazing how you can be entertained by electricity and the internet. We spent some time sharing Jeannet's bike this morning. Bill's better than OK, I'm still rusty. Was thoroughly enjoyable though. We really are in the middle of nowhere,
at least as far as you can be in Europe's most densly populated country. Not much but water and sheep for company. We did have a boat pull in behind us yesterday to pick up water, it was only the second U.S. boat we've seen in the time we've been here. From my research, I'd expected a few more. Gives Bill someone besides me to talk to. I almost have him convinced that he needs to start Dutch lessons when we get home. As much as I enjoy the cities, I must admit that the peace here is much more why we need to do all this. I can't really remember the last time, or even IF, we've ever really relaxed much at home. Last nite there was some sort of business reception at the restaurant, but it didn't last long and soon everything here was back to it's usual quiet -- so quiet that even the insect noises, what there are of them, are an intrusion at times. The weather forecasts have taken a windy turn, and that, coupled with warnings we've received from other boaters, have led to the decision to skip moorings in Utrecht. We're planning to keep going around the city to Maarssen, just north, and take the bus into Utrecht on a couple of days if we want to visit. The only way to actually transit the city from the south, where we are, to the Vecht River, in the north, is to literally take the old, old canals through the city center. It's a lovely trip and, theoreticaly, we have enough clearance, but the bridges are steeply arched and we do not want to leave our solar panels scraped off at the notorious city hall turn. As always, plans change. The Vecht looks to be particularly sparse on electrical hookups, so we don't know next time we'll be in touch, even though we have, as always, hopes. Till then, stay safe . . . .
Home Sweet Home
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