NOAH'S ARK IS READY AND WAITING

What a great and wonderful day we had.  With Michael’s help, we were able to buy tickets and figure out transportation to get us to the Unesco Heritage site called Kinderdjik.  Windmills and more windmills!  Just what I was really hoping to see.  Again, the weather couldn’t have been better.  Sometimes a little breezy but overall a light sweater was all that was needed and only some of the time.   

Traveling on the waterbus is an interesting way to look at the city.  Rotterdam is an interesting mix of architecture –both old and new.  The new is often ultra modern and the old – is well….old.  We had half an hour to enjoy the scenery and appreciate a lovely ride on the water.

Some of the boats that travel up and down the waterways are very different from the boats we see at home.  They ride very low in the water and are extremely long.  Most of the ones we saw carry a car.  It looks as though the car has to be lifted onto the boat.  Not sure as we never saw one loading.

The most spectacular thing we saw on the boat ride to the heritage site was a full size replica of Noah’s ark!  I did not know that there are 3 life size replicas of the ark in the world.  According to Wikipedia there is one in Hong Kong, one in Kentucky and one right here in Rotterdam!  Who knew?  It was funny to just happen upon it when you aren’t expecting to see something like that!  It was huge.

Seeing the windmills was a real treat.  I think there are people living in or around them still.  I am sure more as a novelty than actual working mills, but interesting.  They are so well kept up and either had doors open, laundry hanging and always a bicycle nearby.  During our walk around we shared a serving of Poffertjes. Probably one of the most famous Dutch dishes, Poffertjes are small pancakes, baked in an iron skillet, and traditionally served with melted butter and dusted with icing sugar.  Oh my goodness they were absolutely delicious.  I will consider that my birthday cake!  I don’t need any more than that.

On the way home we stopped at the Rotterdam Central Station and got out there to have dinner.  Brenda took me out for a birthday dinner of Spaghetti.  It was very good and perfect for dinner tonight.  We resumed our trip home and the tram stopped right outside of an ice cream shop.  How convenient!  My day was complete.  Sun burned and windblown and completely replete with all good things today.  I had a great and wonderful day!