A Georgia Girl in Germany

After spending a day at Keukenhof Gardens over Sprng Break 2008, we went to Zaanse Schans to see some authentic Dutch windmills, which Benjamin called “pinwheel houses.” I thought this photo captured the essence of the Netherlands very well -- loads of bicycles, water canals and windmills (just missing a field of tulips). Zaanse Schans has the highest concentration of authentic windmills in the Netherlands, and it was a wonderful village to visit.

There used to be more than a thousand industrial windmills in this area, and each one had a specific task -- everything from sawing wood, pressing oil, grounding dyes, milling cocoa beans and making paper.

This is the “De Kat” windmill -- a paint mill. This is likely the last wind-powered dye mill in the world -- remnant of an industry that once had 55 such mills. This mill is actually made from the remains of two older windmills -- the top and interior machinery of “De Duinjager (the Dane Hunter), which was a dye mill, and the base of “De Kat” oil mill. For about 12 years now, production and sale of antique paints and dyes have been resumed from this mill.

This is the rotating drum where the dyes are ground. From 1600 onward, tropical dye woods were imported on a large scale in order to dye fabrics. The heavy pieces of wood were cut into chips by choppers in a big vat, then pulverized by these stones, which weigh between 5,000 and 7,000 kilograms, before being sifted into a rotating drum.

De Kat is a smock mill -- only the cap with its sails are turned to face the wind by means of this capstan wheel at the bottom of the tail-pole. The horizontal rotary motion of the sails is converted into vertical rotary motion movement by the brake wheel and the wallower to power the machinery on the floor below. The brake wheel is surrounded by a wooden brake that makes it possible to stop the mill from turning. If you look closely, you can see Zachary between all this machinery.

We were able to climb up the inside of the windmill and walk out on the stage -- essentially an observation deck.

This green windmill is “De gekroonde Poelenburg” -- a sawmill.

We were able to see the sawdust that was being ground by wind-power.

The back of De Kat windmill.

From right: De gekroonde Poelenburg (saw mill), De Kat (paint mill), De Zoeker (oil mill), and Het Jonge Schaap (saw mill), with De Bonte Hen (oil mill) off in the distance.

This is De Huisman (a mustard mill) near where we boarded a boat for a short cruise on the Zaan River.

A nice view of De Zoeker Het Jonge Schaap from the river.

MacKenzie and Benjamin posed for a photo in front of the Dutch flag while sitting in the stern of the boat.

Benjamin had fun playing in the wind. Notice his blue tongue? He had some blue candy and was excited about showing off how it changed his tongue blue.

A view of De Kat from the river.

Our boat tour took us upriver and through an industrial area. We even passed a chocolate factory -- we enjoyed the chocolate smell wafting through the air. Unfortunately, it was too far upriver for us to go back to for a visit after our tour.

After our boat tour, Papa and Zachary had to get reoriented with their maps. It’s so good to have such good navigators.

We took a leisurely stroll along the canals to the wooden shoe workshop (which you’ll see in tomorrow’s post).

Benjamin liked standing on this bridge across one of the canals.

It was so quaint seeing all the farm animals and birds quietly grazing alongside the canals, with old-fashioned houses and windmills in the background.



Benjamin had to pick some flowers for me -- how sweet!

Yes, Benjamin found another bridge to climb (and lean over the edge of).

The duck really wanted some of Benjamin’s hot dog, but he was cautious to keep it (and his feet) securely in the chair.