Zaanse Schans, Flamingos and More!

Hoi allemaal! As you know, life marches on and we are thankful for all our unique experiences here in the Netherlands. We haven’t taken any major trips lately, but honestly, it is just as fun around here! We love (or at least I love) exploring the province of Zeeland and this small country as a whole.

The weather is slowly improving! We are getting much more sun and the temps are climbing into the low teens in Celsius. That would be around 50 degrees Fahrenheit. The last frost here is approximately mid April. I can’t wait to put my seedlings out on the deck. They take up a lot of room in our small apartment. But it is so fun to watch them grow.

In this post, I will give you the highlights of our last few weeks. We have gotten to soak in some fun experiences! And everything is more fun when the sun is out. Here is what we have encountered.

(The big picture above is of flamingos flying around a Netherlands bay. I say more about them below).

Spring Blooms in Goes

De lente komt eraan! Spring is coming! It is my favorite. I am so enjoying the wild spring blooms around town. I asked a local if the crocuses are early or if they always come this time of year. He answered: depends on the sun. If the sun decides to shine in May, the crocuses appear in May. But since we are blessed with enough sunshine in March, they are blooming in March. The wild daffodils are everywhere too. The Dutch call them Narcis. No signs of tulips yet. 🙂

Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans is a smaller town on the outskirts of Amsterdam. It would look somewhat familiar to Pella people, in that it is like a huge historical village. It is a replica, however. The village was built entirely in the 1900s. But is has windmill tours, a coppersmith, a bakery, chocolate shop, cheese maker, wooden shoe maker, etc.

The area is very picturesque. The homes in the village are something out of a story book. The evening we were there, the sun shone beautifully on the buildings as it was setting. Our last moments there were what the Dutch would call “gezellig.” There’s no great English translation for gezellig. It means a combination of: cozy, great enjoyment, a moment of treasure, something special that you don’t get to experience every day.

Flamingos!

We were told by some of the locals that wild flamingos can be seen along the Netherland’s ocean shoreline in some areas. So we googled this and learned that they migrate from Germany during the winter months. The temperatures here are fairly temperate in the winter. It gets down to around 32 degrees Fahrenheit here, but I am sure it gets much colder in Germany since it is inland. So we took a drive to where Google told us the flamingos would be. It took us two different Saturdays, but on the second Saturday we found them. They stay in the water so you can’t get too close to them, but we enjoyed seeing them in the wild. The 45 minute drive was well worth it.

Brouwershaven

On our way back from flamingo watching, we stopped in a small town called Brouwershaven. This name translates at Brewers Port, so it must have a history of beer brewing. This was SUCH a cute little town. So quaint and peaceful. We didn’t spend much time here, but it was worth a stop.

Carnival!!

The last weekend before Lent begins is when the Dutch celebrate their Carnival holiday. It is traditionally a Catholic holiday, a time when folks fill up on all the things that they are giving up out of respect for Lent. Carnival reminds me of the American Mardi Gras festival, but maybe not quite as big. These days, those who celebrate Carnival dress in crazy clothes, enjoy lots of food and drink, and follow the parade around to different towns. We went to the parade in the nearby town of ‘s Heerenhoek.

And that concludes this blog! We have been on the go the last few weeks! I thank you all for your support in this strange but enriching time in our lives. Some days I can’t believe we are here, some days I am contemplative, and some days I am just plain thankful. Till next blog…