Windmills of my Mind

This Saturday saw the sideswipe of my hangover at the unusually early time of 0900 and a trip to some interesting installations in Holland. Hire car bound, the four of us sped through the confusing lanes / roads around Amsterdam, oft led astray by the pernicious whims of the sat nav.

Our first stop was the giant flood defences that have been installed to protect that country against the devastating damage that was inflicted in the 1953/4 disaster. It is effectively two large semi circular barriers that are lifted into position and then flooded to sink and create the necessary resistance. Sadly the tour that was supposed to be at 1230 was moved to 1530 so we missed out. However the wind whipping through our hair and the toy models made up for it.

Another short journey later and taking what is possibly the most expensive ferry ever (3.50EUR for 4 people going less than 200m) we arrived in the slightly strange village of Kinderdijk. This is a village that is arrange on an extended dijk so it's very long and very thin. All the houses are built into the dyke itself, with view extending towards the sea.

After a brief lunch, which included a free portion of aphids with the salad, we made the necessary right turn and discovered the most stunning UNESCO world heritage site: a large series of fields separated by dijks and with a profusion of windmills pumping water between then all using the principals of the Archimedes screw.

It's been months and months now, did you miss me?

Actually I have missed writing my articles online and am looking forward to getting back into the usual witticisms and observations that I hope have titillated you previously.

Anyway, here's a picture of me at the Red Cross Charity Gala last week, the black tie season is well and truly open!