The first time I was in Holland, I was obsessed with them. I wanted to drive straight to Kinderdijk where they have 19 of them and, well, I don't know, gawk? Search for Don Quixote and Sancho?
I never made it to Kinderdijk, but this trip, I get to climb inside a working one.
This is Korenmollen de Zandhaas Santpoort, 234 years old and still standing proudly. And working! I love climbing up the windmill especially since it's low-key and not guidebook-material. There is a small store downstairs where they sell country goods and, well, flour. I was shocked that we were given permission to go to the very top - without signing a single waiver. Oh yes. I'm definitely abroad. And I like it!
When we got to the top, the sails of the windmills were in full view. The floor was made of wooden planks that had gaps that I imagined were wider than my body girth and for the unfounded fear of falling, oh, I don't know, thirty feet, the best photo I could take of the windmill up close was this:
I think I changed my mind about not signing any waivers...
This windmill is within the general vicinity of Haarlem. Haarlem is another one of those Dutch places dear to me. A trip to The Netherlands is not complete without a visit to Haarlem. In America, Haarlem is what you would call a suburb of Amsterdam. It's much smaller and quieter, but the charm, cobblestone streets and bike and pedestrian-only square is something I never tire of. If you're considering visiting Amsterdam, I would strongly urge a side trip to Haarlem. Or why not stay there and commute to Amsterdam instead? It's a short train ride and would have a more local Dutch vibe.
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