Trip Belgium and Holland in Springtime Day 7 part 1

Sunday April 12

We were docked in Dordrecht, Netherlands. And today we are visiting Kinderdijk. Our daily information sheet tells the story of the legendary 1421 Saint Elizabeth Flood. As the story goes, after the flood waters subsided, a cradle was found on the dike and inside was a baby and a cat. While Harry Chapin's 1974 song is about a father and a son, the story is supposed to be the title reference.

We were taken by bus to this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The air was still a bit crisp but the sky was blue and sun was shining. And we had enough layers on.

The website says: The Dutch have managed to hold back the water for more than 750 years. At Kinderdijk, you can learn how we have managed to live under sea level for centuries. Here, you can learn about the past and present of water management.

So, first we took a boat, sailed past the gigantic windmills, and then walked.

The walk was a lot of fun. Wild flowers blooming and all sorts of water fowl having little ones. 

Here is the windmill we are visiting. We learn that the water goes actually underneath the mill which then pumps the water into the next higher level. The mills can only pump up to a certain level and that is why there are several levels of rows with mills.

There were 19 Windmills and I think 16 were still functional. And they were being used to pump water out to make sure that the area is not flooding. A miller (and family?) lives in them. It is a job and you have to be trained. The miller has to be close in the mill area when it is working because if there is suddenly a strong wind it could cause sparks and start a fire which would be very dangerous. 

This windmill which we visited (I think) is the oldest. One of the millers which occupied it, used to be an ingenieur and decided to add aluminum to the wings of his mill which made it more efficient.

All other mills have silk on the wings. It is left like this because it is more historic for this place.

The inside of the mill. Very small living area especial when you have lots of children. 

In the time of the 15th or 16th century the beds were very short because people slept sitting upright. It had something to do with superstition.

This young lady was trained to do the adjustments of the wings. The top with the wings can be rotated 360 degrees. But it is hard work she says.

There was also an outdoor kitchen, a garden, some animals like goats, rabbits etc.

Then we walked at our own pace back to the entry of this living history museum.

This museum building is also part of it but it was closed because it is Sunday.

This statue of the cradle of course referes to the name and the baby in the cradle and cat.

We could continue walking, cross the road and on the other side was our M/S River Aria. Very comfortable for us. And very fun. The ship left soon at the dedicated time to the previous dock.

We had lunch soon and more activity later but that needs to be in part 2.