Trip to Zaanse Schaans & Amsterdam

We were very fortunate and grateful that ISS Student Office took us to a trip to Zaanse Schaans and a boat trip in Amsterdam. We reached the preserved village through a bus (felt like a high school excursion) and we were greeted with a Dutch man who took our pictures as we entered. We thought it nice that he said "Ooohh...Filipinas, maganda...maganda" Somebody said his wife was also Filipina but we had to pay 5 euros for our "ambushed" picture-taking later. We were forced to claim it, otherwise, "basin ipanghadlok tong among mga picture sa mga creatures, if any, nga gapuyo sa old windmills." hehe Anyways...

Zaan district, the oldest industrial area of the world held about 50 windmills, what are left of the 1000 in 1920. Now, the Zaan village has 12 windmills in perfect condition and operates them regularly. I was amazed at how meticulously the Dutch have preserved the mills for future generation, transporting for example, a whole mill, and even the old Dutch houses in Zaan from other districts. I find the old Dutch houses' architecture to be very practical and in-tuned with their climate. Most of the area is marshy so that when a person jumps in some portions, one could feel it reverberating or something.

The wooden shoe factory was also another interesting that highlighted typical Dutch practicality. We were also treated to a variety of cheeses in the cheese factory.

The boat trip in Amsterdam took us to the main canal thoroughfares where we saw typical Dutch houses and flats along side the canals. Very interesting are the leaning houses that have withstood time and are still intact.

Hmmm... it had been a great day!