Day two of our Rhine River cruise started with a stop in Kinderdijk, a province of South Holland, Netherlands. Kinderdijk is a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its network of 19 windmills, built-in the 1700s. The windmills move water, and are part of the flood-management system. Kinderdijk is below sea-level; water is pumped via the windmills out of the canals into reservoirs to keep the land from flooding. When the nearby river is at low tide, the water is pumped into the river.
After disembarking from the Viking Kara, we were led by our tour guide down the canal with windmills lining the path. The mills are in operation today, but one is now a museum for tourists to visit. A walk through the museum mill was quite eye-opening.
Kinderdijk Windmills & Museum
The millers (those who run the windmill) live in their mill with their family. Back in the 1700s families were quite large; the original miller of the windmill lived their with his wife and 13 kids. There were four stories inside the windmill, but none of them were very big. It was hard to imagine a family of four living inside the mill, let alone 15 people. Back then beds were smaller, which helped save space. The beds were smaller for two reasons: the people were smaller, and there was a fear of lying completely flat. It was believed that one would die if they lied flat, so they slept sitting up.
The tops of the windmills rotate, allowing the millers to place the mills in the best location to catch the wind. The rudders of the windmills have sails, which are let out, if wind conditions are right. Additionally there are brakes on the mills to stop the rotation. The mills are made of wood, so the millers must be careful when applying the brake, as too much friction is a fire threat. After visiting the windmill museum, we walked to another building to learn how the mills were made and the maintenance required.
Since the mills are still working today, modern-day families live in the mills. Today they are all run by volunteers, and though it seems like a hard life, there is a list of 200+ families waiting for the chance to run one of these windmills. The job is easier today; a large pumping station, built-in the 1950s, is responsible for pumping the water today. However, the mills are still on standby, in case of emergency.
Safety Time
At the conclusion of our tour, it was back on board for a safety drill. We located our bright orange life jackets, put them on, and when the loud alarm sounded, made our way upstairs. We found this to be a prime picture-taking opportunity! After all passengers were counted, we took off our life vests and head to lunch. The boat then departed for the Rhine (we hadn’t actually made it to the Rhine yet) and Germany.
All Things Dutch
During the afternoon sail, our program director gave an “All Things Dutch” talk. The Dutch are viewed as quite thrifty; a reputation they acquired centuries ago. During the 17th century, the English started using the phrase “going dutch” to describe the stinginess of the Dutch. The Dutch traditionally only pay for themselves when dining out. Knowing about this thriftiness is helpful for determining whether you are looking at a Dutch flag or French flag. Both flags contain stripes of red, white and blue. The French stripes are vertical, while the Dutch stripes are horizontal. This allows the Dutch to simply cut off the end of the flag when it becomes a bit tattered (not wanting to buy on a new one), and it looks as good as new.
Following our Dutch talk, a Dutch tea time was in order. Tea along with finger sandwiches, scones, and coffee topped with fresh whipped cream made the menu. My family chose to take our tea and treats up to the top deck to take in the sites along the river. It was a delightful afternoon all the way around!
In the evening we joined our fellow travelers, as well as the captain, for a toast to welcome all of us. Next was dinner, and then back up to the top deck to watch the sunset.
