Kinderdijk & Delft

Monday June 9, 2014

We really lucked out with many of the Netherlands national holidays occurring right after our move. Joe had off this Monday, the day after Pentecost so off we went on our next daytrip adventure. We started our day at Kinderdijk, a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997. This is a unique polder area of dykes, boezems, mills and pumping stations is a testament of human inventiveness in reclaiming & protecting the land. Kinderdijk is the only place in the world with so many windmills so close together in an authentic polder landscape. This area is below sealevel and surrounded by rivers and canals. The 17 windmills used for water drainage were built between 1738 and 1740.
We paid 5 euros to park which included a free coffee at the pumping station visitor center.
Unfortunately we didn’t have clear blue skies as forecast, but we still made the most of our visit even if our pictures didn’t turn out the best.
Windmill landscape 

Windmill 

Windmill (Museummolen Nederwaard) that you could visit for an additional fee to learn how the mill works 

Hehe we’re having a Dutch baby 

There are boat rides you can take to view Kinderdijk. 

We chose to walk the trails to see most of the windmills. 

Windmill canal landscape 

Operating windmill, Museum Blokweer 

Lilly pads in canal at Kinderdijk 

Windmill 

Wildflowers & windmill 

Windmill 

Dutch oasis 

Enjoying Dutch country

Joe complained about needing to pay to use the toilet as we left. I am usually in the same boat, but I know the cost of maintaining the historical nature of some of these sites and I feel okay with paying for facilities for others to continue to enjoy this protected site for years to come. 

Next we decided to drive over to Delft and walk around. It was pouring last time Joe tried to visit there and Jackie thought Delft would be more fun than modern Rotterdam which she’s already visited.
Yet another beautiful canal city, Delft. It is known for Delftware, its blue pottery.

Markt and City Hall (excuse the overexposure: I didn’t recheck the camera settings from overcast Kinderdijk to bright and sunny Delft)

Markt 

Nieuwe Church 

We ate a late lunch at the outdoor covered patio at Het Gulden ABC who still had hours going for brunch. Jackie got a savory Dutch pancake with bacon, cheese, tomato and peppers and Joe got croquettes and frites. And yes, Jackie easily ate it all. Can you tell she's pregnant and eating for 2?

Markt and Nieuwe Kerk (New Church) 

Markt 

Looking back toward Markt Square and Nieuwe Church 

Hippolytusbuurt canal 

Oude Kerk (Old Church) 

I love this old street lamp 

We walked back to Nieuwe Church constructed between 1381-1496 

It cost money to go in because it contains the Dutch Royal family’s burial vault. Willem de oranje is buried here, the father of Holland. 

We walked by Beestenmarkt 

Then we walked down to Oostpoort, the only remaining town gate of Delft built around 1400.

Delft canal houseboats 

Utrecht

Saturday June 7, 2014

This Saturday we went to Utrecht to walk around. It was quite hot/tropical for here, in the 80s (25 degrees plus in Celisus as it is measured here).

Utrecht is often described as a smaller, quainter version of Amsterdam in its old canal area.

We parked at a garage near Griftpark. We walked along the canal until we reached Oudegracht, a curved canal that partly follows an old arm of the Rhine River.

There were many people out in kayaks in this hot weather, spiking Joe’s jealousy that the company would not move our kayaks here for us so we sold our beloved boats.

Utrecht is the capital and the 4th largest city (Eindhoven is the 5th largest). 

In Utrecht there are lower streets at the canal level that were mainly used as wharf warehouse storage facilities. The houses were built on top at the main street level. Today many restaurants, bars and shops occupy these below spaces making the canal life here quite active.

Quintessential orange bike on the canal bridge 

Dom Tower (Domtoren) dominates the skyline. It was once part of Dom Church, but the unfinished nave collapsed due to a tornado in 1624, leaving the tower to stand alone apart from the church. The tower was completed in 1382. It is the tallest church tower in the Netherlands at 368 feet. If it hadn’t been so extremely hot we would have taken a guided tour & climbed the 465 steps to get a good view of the city. Jackie is certain once she is further along in pregnancy she will not be able to make such a climb and even now couldn’t without frequent breather breaks. Looks like Jackie has to convince Joe to climb the tower again on a subsequent trip with their daughter. On a clear day, you can see Amsterdam and Rotterdam. 

Dom tower from Oudegracht 

Dom tower 

Dom Tower from Domplein Square 

The cloister of St. Martin’s (Dom Cathedral) 

I love the gargoyle downspouts 

Jackie & baby girl bump at the cloister of St. Martin’s 

We walked back up Oudegracht. Dom tower

We stopped for an early dinner at Stadskasteel Oudaen, which also brews its own beer. 

Next time we will try to sit in the basement on the patio along the canal 

Jackie’s appetite amazes Joe these days. After a ful meal on this hot day, we still stopped for an ice cream cone.

Ultrasound in Holland

Friday June 6, 2014

With the move to another country, we were able to have another look via ultrasound at our baby girl today at 23 weeks (yay for new insurance coverage footing the bill!). She is a lot more active than 4 weeks ago. All still looks good. Her top lip was fully closed. There were 4 functioning heart ventricles and blood flowing in the right directions. All measurements look right on schedule.
Her head diameter and circumference are a few days ahead of schedule but still in the 50-90th percentile. Her brain (cerebellum diameter), abdominal circumference, femur length and estimated weight are a little behind a few days but in the 10-50th percentile. All within comfortable levels at this stage of pregnancy.

Here are a few shots from the ultrasound:
Profile 

Fist pump 

Active legs 

Top view of baby foot