What's it Like to Live in Netherlands

 

 

 

We live aboard our Dutch Replica motorboat, Amanda, in a lovely marina, not much different than one you would find on the East Coast of the USA. It offers floating docks, great repair facilities, a marina restaurant, friendly neighbors, and the inevitable slow internet.  There are flags of many countries here, but mostly they are Dutch.

 

 

 

As Netherlands is a country that is about thirty per cent below sea level, boating is a preferred national pastime and it seems that everyone owns at least one or more watercraft.  Week-ends here are lively, especially now that it is summer.  By October, most of the boats will be somewhere in a heated shed for their winter berth.  With only half the year to enjoy the many water pleasures, there seems to be a great urgency to have fun right now.

 

 

The gemeente (town) of Heusden (pronounced something like HOWS den) where our marina is located is an ancient town with a rich history. The town is quite small and compact. There is not much room for yards or gardens but given the Dutch love of flowers, many front doors are surrounded by greenery..

 

 

There is some historical mention of a fortification here on the Berge Maas River as early as 722.  The town is surrounded by water and ancient fortifications.  Here you see parts of a medievel city wall.

 

 

We are about sixty miles from the sea so no salt water here.  This is also part of the intricate water control system used by Netherlands to keep the sea at bay (no pun) no matter what the water level. The gate at the end of this walkway can be lowered to protect the city from flooding.

 

 

 

Heusden is very much a tourist destination with lovely bicycle trails and regular visits from tour boats and river cruise ships.  There are many festivals and events throughout the summer months, drawing motorists, bicyclists and boaters.

 

 

 

We have three working windmills built in the sixteen hundreds that are regularly run for the tourists and also to grind some local wheat for the nearby bakeries.

 

 

 

The mills are open for tours if you are willing to climb the steep stairway.

 

 

 

The entire mill rotates on wooden bearings to catch the best wind.

 

 

 

This is the actual grinding part of the mill, it is also made of sturdy wooden gears and levers.

 

 

 

Nearly everyone in Netherlands speaks English.  They speak Dutch to each other but as soon as we greet them, they easily switch to English.   Shopping is a bit of a challenge, as all of the store names and products are labeled in Dutch.  Hardware Store is huisgereedschapwinkel, literally “house of equipment store”.  Grocery Store is kruidenierswinkel, drug store is apotheek.

Like the US, there are many chain stores, Praxis is much like Home Depot and Jumbo is similar to Winn Dixie, but the real treasures are found in special shops located in small villages and cities.  It’s a challenge to find them and often a challenge to find a parking place nearby but they seem to be thriving. The Google maps and translator are essential tools for us.

 

 

 

We’ve been here since April and have spent most of our time learning about the boat and all her systems. It takes a while to make a new boat your "home" and there is always a boat project to be done.

 

 

Here we are installing AIS (Automatic Identification System) which broadcasts our position and receives information about other boats in the area.

There is a lot of commercial barge traffic on the rivers and canals here so it’s best to keep out of the way of these hundred foot plus workboats.  Our basic rule of “Big Boats have Right of Way” is definitely the case here.

 

 

It wouldn't be a real boat project if you didn't have to drill some holes and dismantle something. We got some professional help for that part of the project.

 

 

Then there are the European Boating Rules to learn. (Green to the Right, Returning from the sea, opposite of what we've learned for years.)

Boating in Europe is much more regulated than we are used to in the USA.  There are boat operator licenses, radio licenses, boat inspection certificates, power certificates, and official registries.  Added to that, the paperwork to secure a long term visitor visa to stay in Europe makes us feel like we have spent all of our time the last many months dealing with bureaucracies.

 

 

We are hoping to finish the last of the official requirements in the next few days and then will be on our way south to our new home in France for the winter. 

 

 

 

Here's a link to some interesting facts about Netherlands

https://www.holland.com/global/tourism/information/dutch-water-facts.htm

 

If you haven't read about the launching of "Amanda" , Click Here