Volendam, Monnickendam & Marken, The Netherlands (2021)

The old harbour in the city of Volendam, the Netherlands also serves as a marina. People visiting can do so by docking their yacht. Here we are going on the jetty admiring some of the yachts.

Scooters ready for a day out in the city of Volendam, the Netherlands. We didn't use them but they looked really nice lined up like this, next to the harbour.

Details of an original 'kwak' in the city of Volendam, the Netherlands.

A Volendammer kwak is a wooden flat-bottomed ship, very similar to the better-known Zuiderzee botters, but a bit larger and with a different construction in a number of ways. When the IJsselmeer was still the Zuiderzee, the kwak was used by the people for the kwakkuil fishery for shrimp. A funnel-shaped net was dragged along sailing downwind. The net opening was kept wide by fishing lines, which ran from the ends of two sideways protruding kwakbooms.

There are still 4 preserved: the VD172, the VD84, the VD5 and the VD17. These four ships can be found in the harbour of Volendam.

The Netherlands, being a country with lots of waterways, offers many places where people can live along the water. Here a peaceful scene near the water in the city of Volendam.

Of course it's lovely to live next to a canal, but canals need bridges to cross. Here in the city of Volendam, the Netherlands lots of historic houses in the city centre have their own bridge to cross.

Drawbridges are a common phenomenon in old Dutch cities. Here's a lovely yellow drawbridge in the city of

Volendam, the Netherlands. It provides for a picturesque street scene.

I couldn't help smiling when I saw this creativity. Old milk cans and trashcans transformed into minion art in the city of Volendam, the Netherlands. The do need a bit of fresh paint though.

After having walked around the city centre we ended up back at the harbour of the city of Volendam, the Netherlands. I liked this loose rope on the jetty.

Crow's nest of the 'Halve Maen', an old wooden ship in the harbour of Volendam, the Netherlands. The Halve Maen was initially used for hunting and hijacking, but soon became a cargo ship. In 1609, the ship was used as a discovery ship. Henry Hudson boarded the Halve Maen and opened trade with America. The Halve Maen also served as a VOC ship.

The Waegh is a historic building in the city centre of Monnickendam, the Netherlands.

Hundreds of years ago there was a weekly market here and a weigh house was built, which was officially for weighing larger quantities. As early as 1382, a predecessor of the Waegh stood on this site which was lost in a fire in 1666. At that time, Monnickendam was an important port and many goods were traded there. The weigh house , built of brick and sandstone corner blocks, has the character of Dutch Renaissance.

The small inner harbour in the city of Monnickendam, the Netherlands. Despite the rules and regulations surrounding the pandemic we were able to have a lovely lunch outside.

Crossing a small white bridge in the city of Marken, the Netherlands. Marken occupies a peninsula in the Markermeer. It was, until 1957, an island in the former Zuiderzee. The characteristic wooden houses of Marken are a tourist attraction.

Walking towards the small harbour and marina in the city of Marken, the Netherlands. Normally this small city is crowded with tourists but given the pandemic we were practically the only people there.

Approaching the end of the harbour in the city of Marken in the Netherlands. The gray house on the corner is especially pretty and contains a replica of an old ad for a coffee brand.

Some mooring posts in the small but pretty harbour in the city of Marken in the Netherlands. A seagull is sitting proudly on top.