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Wind Power

zaans schans map
For my last full day in Amsterdam, I took off to the countryside to see windmills. Jumping on the train to Zaans Schans only took 20 quick minutes. Originally, I wanted to sail the Zaan river with a hop on/hop off ferry (such a romantic), but unfortunately the ferry only operates from Friday to Sunday. No matter, I took the footpath and I got to see more.

The popular Zaans Schans has historic windmills, shops, cheese and dairy farm, restaurants and museums to attract tourists. I was overjoyed to find that the restaurant De Kraai served traditional dutch pancakes – all 29 centimetres! I could visit windmills and eat a Dutch pannekoek all in one trip. I feasted on the apple pannekoek with a bottle of apple juice.

pannekoek
How awesome is this? A pony-necked bottle of apple juice to go with my apple pannekoek! I can feel like I’m drinking a beer!

I just left the restaurant and sat on a bench to change the battery in my camera when this little fella came waddling up to me.

zaans schans duck
Seconds afterward, his friends also flocked around me. Seems they wanted me to feed them. The birds were the most polite birds I’ve ever come across. They just sat at my feet, looking up to me. If I knew, I would’ve saved them some pannekoek.

zaans schans ducks
I take it I smelled like pannekoeks?

Energized from lunch, I walked around in the heat and sun to take in the 6 windmills. At one time, there used to be a thousand windmills in this area, but now only 13 remain; 6 of which are at the Zaanse:

* De Gekroonden Poelenburg (sawmill)
* De Ka (mineral mill)
* De Zoeker and De Bonte Hen (oil mill)
* De Huisman (mustard mill)
* De Hadel (drainage mill)

Across the Zaan River, are pretty rows of 17th and 18th century houses.

zaans schans windmills
After seeing the windmills, I felt pretty satisfied. I had seen everything I wanted to see and done everything I wanted to do upon my return. Anything else would be gravy. And so after half the afternoon at the windmills and getting more tanned, I jumped the train to go back in the city to have a wander, eat some dinner and packed.

I can’t believe that it’s not even midnight and I can barely keep my eyes open. It may prove to be my saving grace though, as I have to wake up at the ungodly hour of 6am. Let’s hope I don’t oversleep.

Good night Amsterdam. I will miss you.

View more photos of my trip on my Flickr album.

Top photo: Zaans Museum

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