Windmills, Cheese and Clogs in The Nehterlands
Halfway through my one-week stay in Amsterdam, I decided to take a little road trip. I went to Viator , one of my favorite websites for finding tours when I am on vacation, and found a one-day bus tour of the area around Amsterdam. The tour promised windmills, cheese and clogs. So early in the morning (8:00 AM) I found myself near Central Station, boarding a bus with 40 or so half asleep people. Zaandam Our first stop was at Zaanse Schans -The Dutch Windmill Village. From 1964 through 1971, old buildings and windmills from the surrounding area were loaded on to trucks and relocated to the Zaanse Schans neighborhood Zaandam, about 20 km (12 miles) from Amsterdam. The buildings were turned into a historic park, where traditional skills and crafts are demonstrated, and souvenirs are sold. The highlight of the park are the eight windmills that line the Zaan River. Fun note - You might have noticed that the town of Zaandam sits on the Zaan river. In fact it is at the site of a dam tha...