Finney Gets Dressed Up

The crew slept in today especially the Woodwards. I was up at 6:30 and had second breakfast before the bedheads made their way down those steep stairs. We headed off to Volendam for the afternoon. We wanted to get a picture like we had done 18 years ago when our family cycled for 6 months in Europe. It was quite expensive so dad and I opted out and Kesa and Griffin decided they wouldn't either until I saw a picture with little boys in it and decided that we just had to get one with Fin. Now I am on the search for a little Dutch cap.

This was a vending machine in Winkel that dispensed eggs, apple and pear juice, jam and honey.

The Dutch are so neat and tidy. I love the way they stacked their wood on the side of the house.

The thatched roofs are amazing.

Our journey to Volendam took us through lots of farm land. For a little country with a large population they certainly have lots of farm land. There are canals everywhere and their roads are narrow. Every year they fish out bikes, people and cars from the canals.

We may have missed the large fields of tulips but man what we did get to see was amazing. The yellow and red just pop out at you when you are driving by. We chose not to pay the price to go to Keukonhof and just see them naturally. The flowers are cut then the bulbs are dug out of the sand by machinery then taken back to the barns where they are peeled. Tulips are the only bulb that is peeled. Then they are stored to be planted in the fall.

Volendam is a cute little place with lots of canals, convoluted alleys, and little bridges.

Finney relaxing in the hot weather.

In 2008 we were in a market and tried raw herring. One bite and I spit it into the trash can. Ed and Matthew said it was the most disgusting thing they had eaten. Griffin was challenged to try it and actually said he liked it so Kesa and Ed both tried a bit. The consensus was that it was actually quite good. I on the other hand said no way.

We were walking back to our car and winding through the streets and alleys when we passed an alley. We all stopped to watch a large long haired German Shepard splayed out in the middle of the road, head between it's paws with a ball in front of it's paws. Behind it was a car who could not move down the alley. The dog's owner was on the sidewalk trying to coax  it to move but the dog just lay there totally content to lie in the way. Eventually the owner went over and grabbed it by the collar and pulled it to the side. The dog just floated along, no care in the world. I wish I had managed a picture.

The ride back to our first home away from home.