Oh, Harlingen...we love you as much as last time!
After breakfast, and needing excercise, we walked around the little town. It is a port for ferries that go out to the outer islands, and the canals are lined with boats, both small and large. Rowing is a big sport and, in the evenings, we watched teams rowing out to sea, practicing for a big race in about 10 days.
As we walked on the top of one of the dykes, an old classic Cadillac drive up and out stepped a bride, fully decked out, and a groom. It was quite cold out and windy but she must have a strong Dutch constitution posing for many pictures with the sea and boats in the background. I would have been covered with blue goose bumps.
Since we couldn't let our stomachs be even close to empty, we had an early lunch at a pancake/waffle café....delicious in a very cute red-checked place.
We drove out of Harlingen North to see an area where mega-yachts are built, but could not score a tour of ICON, one of the builders. We passed a big windmill part yard where the components to giant white windmills are ready for shipment. Huge!! Our hotel owner told us about a second shipyard south of Harlingen and we located the area. There we saw several truly gigantic new yachts in the water next to the ship builder's buildings getting their finishing touches. Amazing to think that anyone can afford such opulent boats. The town of Makkum is central to this business.
Makkum, itself, is a charming village. We wandered a bit and had a cold beer in a great bar/café. Nice place and a town that we will visit again.
On the way back to Harlingen, we saw, again, many sheep on the grassy slopes of the dyke. The sheep graze the grass an keep the dykes well trimmed. They look so pastoral against the green grass with little lambs among the adult sheep.
We're finding it fun to sit, either on our balcony or in the restaurant of our hotel, watching the boats come and go through the dyke gates and down the canals of the town. The bridges over the canals are raised when needed and the dyke gates open and close at various times, though we can't figure out what triggers and opening or closing.
Worth note is the fact that the majority of the houses are brick as are the village streets and sidewalks. Adds a good amount of charm.
Not sure what we are up to tomorrow, but will stay in Harlingen another night and adventure out from here. Nice to not have to pack up and find a new hotel for a few days!
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