Dutch Who Loves Water
What would you do without water?
All living creatures on earth need water to live and survive.
The Dutch and water are in a love relationship through the centuries.
For Dutch people, water flows throughout their lives, and it’s become one of the characteristics of the country also it’s a part of the Dutch style. Water is everywhere in this small country which is called The Netherlands or Holland and the people are called Dutch, but in Indonesia, we call them Belanda.
I have been living in The Netherlands for 22 years, but still, I am amazed by how the Dutch people managed to control the water considering the climate and its lies below sea level. They are skilled in managing water by constructing dunes, dikes, and canals. Their innovation and invention turn them into one of the most successful countries in the world. They love water and the water lives for them. It makes the country a perfect place for a short and long vacation especially when the temperature is above 25 degrees.
It is on a Saturday and the sun shines brightly here, so we decided to enjoy the day by sailing to some places around the city where I live. While cruising through South Holland, you will discover the characteristic landscape with its beauty. We start our recreational sailing at South Weteringen. You can rent accommodation on the waterfront and do excursions nearby or rent a yacht.
Let the wind breeze your mind and revitalize your body while sailing here.
Enjoy the water, unleash your exhaustion for a day, and go swimming.
Spending time with your family is essential for building a strong bond with each other. Now we are sailing through the area known as Rijpweteringen in the South of Holland.
The windmill in Rijpwetering is called The Buurtermolen. It was built in the 18th century and was restored in 1982. With its beauty, the panoramic of the island becomes a spot for photographers to take a shot during sunrise or sunset.
How do you feel after a week of hard work and you wake up on a Saturday morning with this view presented to you? (depending on the weather of course :-)) Have breakfast, drink your morning coffee while splashing your feet in the water, and try to get an inspiration to write. What an enchanting morning for a writer!
Just as driving a car, you need a license too for being on the water. There are different types of navigation licenses, for both recreational and commercial use also there are plenty of sail schools that learn how to navigate the boat in this country.
We are sailing in Aalsmeer which is famous as the ‘flower city of The Netherlands and since the 17th century, they started to plant fruit trees.
Flower lovers like me will fall in love with that Hydrangea. It comes in so many shapes and colors. Look at them! They are as beautiful and bright as the author who writes this post.
Some of the boats are used to transport the sand, and cement too.
It fascinates me to see the boys are having a great time with each other.
I wonder if their conversation is about girlfriend, parents, movie, or game?
The relationship between father and daughter in this photo is astonishing.
How is your relationship with your father? As for me, my father is a loving man. I am blessed to have my parents still in my life.
There are times when I want to be a little girl again. Play with friends, swing, and swim in the water. A life free from responsibility. I’m just having fun and waiting for my mother to call “dinner is ready”!
Here, children must learn to swim at a very young age about 4 years old, because they live so close to the water. It’s too dangerous to let them play outside if they don’t master swimming. In Aalsmeer, there is an outdoor swimming pool where kids can learn to swim and play. The temperature of the water is colder than the air temperature so if you can’t swim or your kid wants to learn how to swim quickly, here is the best place for them. I bet in a short time they have already mastered the swimming due to the water temperature.
After 2 hours of sailing and swimming our stomachs begin to grunt, especially the boys. I guess it is time to have brunch with a glass of white wine and soda for the boys.
Look at the food! The food is delicious, but It’s a bit weird combination of brown bread with salad, salmon, a glass of mustard soup, and a piece of white bread with “Kroket’’ also some nachos on the plate. ”Kroket” is the most famous Dutch snack.
We are done with brunch, so we continue our sailing trip to Lisse.
Wow! I love the color of the boat, it catches a glimpse of my eyes.
The Dutch people are very concerned about nature, protecting the ecosystem by planting lots of trees, and grass, and preserving nature by enhancing its biodiversity.
This is a scenery that represents The Netherlands and its people who love water. Water, windmills, boats, people, sailing, fishing, and smiling as they enjoy the weather. They are the happiest people in the world when the sunshine and the temperatures increase.
We are entering the city of Lisse, the home of Tulips and spring flowers.
In spring, this city will be crowded with tourists who come from around the world to visit the beautiful garden “Keukenhof”, and in summer it will be busy with boats from European countries sailing towards The Netherlands. One of the remarkable inventions of the Dutch people is building bridges to facilitate traffic. Look at the photo above, the bridge is opened for boats to sail through disabling all other vehicles to continue for 5 minutes or more.
If you are here for holiday, you can combine your holiday by renting accommodation, sometimes with a boat or bikes too.
With bicycles on your boat, it is easier to stop the boat somewhere and visit the city nearby with bicycles or do groceries during your stay. Finally, we are about to end our sailing weekend, It was a great day of sailing and swimming under the blue sky with the smile of the sun’s rays.
Thank you all for taking the time to read my post. Do you have a great weekend too? Don’t forget to love your family and be kind to each other.
Debby J Tumanduk
Many thanks to my followers and to all the great writers here on Medium who read, clap, highlight, and comment on all my posts. Thank you for your support! Let’s support each other.
@copyright
Note: Photos taken by the author for editorial only and not for commercial purposes.
