Nord and Zuid Holland, Netherlands,

4th July to 20th September 2007

Into Amsterdam and the busy North Sea Canal

We were soon into the quieter canal system and saw a car made for two!

Ten lifting/swing bridges in a row is quite tiring.

a group of sea scouts in the lock

Raising a glass to the Aalsmeer from our mooring for three weeks

The resident pony at the Blauwe Buegel harbour

A tour of Amsterdam the next day

Lunch by the canal

Our next stop was Haarlem, where we had pride of place in the centre of the town

A windmill by the canal used for sawing logs

To Alphen a/d Rijn and the place where Vrouwe Antje was built.  Moored in the centre of town on the lawn canal!

A lifting bridge outside the town

Alphen Windmill

Vrouwe Antje about to have her bottom cleaned!

Three days and 45 litres of paint later and she's ready to go back in the water.

Our next stop was Gouda where the cheese market was in full swing

We were lucky enough to be given a mooring in the historic harbour for two weeks - for free!!!!

The Stadhuis is quite spectacular

We went to Rotterdam and moored up just near the famous cubehouses

Our mooring in the Haringvliet

While in Rotterdam the Harbour festival took place and we watched a sailing barge race along the river

The Harbour had some amazing historic barges in it

On our way to Dordrecht being overtaken by two barges at the same time!

Our mooring at Dordrecht - a very secure modern harbour

The historic harbour at Dordrecht, complete with traditional crane!

A lovely view of the town and  rivers from the cathedral tower