You are invited to come along as we explore the beautiful, historic land of canals, wooden shoes, and windmills with Violet as our tour guide. Here she is, smiling in anticipation of visiting what she calls storybook land. Ready to go?

This past summer, Violet had the grand opportunity to travel through the Scandanavian countries and see fascinating historic places in this picturesque storybook land, hosted by her friend, Sue. She toured through five countries and saw a wide variety of sights. In this post, I’ll focus on Holland, and share the others with you soon.

Here she is reading up ahead of time on all that she will see and do. Hello Amsterdam!

Amsterdam is the capital city of Holland. It is a marshy, low land, below sea level and full of canals. Many buildings are built on stilts to hold them high and dry. So don’t be surprised when you see the buildings leaning a bit. Here is a pretty little sidewalk shop.

I found this map of Amsterdam showing how it is made up of many canals. I read that it has 165 canals that cover 60 miles of waterways! I wonder, are the canals named, liked streets?

Violet visited a park that was pretty and green. In one area a road goes over the park on a bridge, and Penny met this fun lad underneath, helping to hold up the road. Now she’s helping too.

Hey, come along and hop in, we are going to cruise on a canal!

Oh, the beauty of the water, the trees, and the historic buildings. How lovely!

Bicycles are a popular way of transportation here. They are found everywhere, even at the bottom of the canals. Whoops!

Sunshine and pretty boats and bridges.

In the picture above, I enjoy seeing all the colors and artistic shapes of the tall buildings. Also, I think that the red houseboat on the right looks really homey with its awning shade and pink flower pots. I found a video online that invites you to tour a houseboat on display, and thought I would share it here. How fascinating to see the possiblities of a floating house.

Holland is also famous for its traditional wooden shoes, or klompen.
“Wooden shoe wearers claim the shoes are warm in winter, cool in summer and provide support for good posture. The wood also absorbs perspiration so that the foot can breathe.” Here is an interesting page I found on Why walk on wooden shoes?

This clogs and cheese shop has a man making wooden shoes right here. How fascinating to watch! What an art!

The Zaanse Schans is a historic windmill park with many great old wooden windmils that were collected and brought here to preserve them. Several are still operating to grind spices, press oil, and saw wood.

These are the end of Violet’s pictures, but I’d like to add a little extra here.

When I think of Holland, I think of Corrie ten Boom. I have often read her book, The Hiding Place, that tells of her family’s watch shop in Haarlam and the work they did to protect and hide Jews during World War II. The price they paid was high, they endured arrest and cruel prison camps; but Corrie lived on to witness to the fact that God’s love is deeper than the world’s deepest darkness.

Below is the ten Boom house in Haarlam, just west of Amsterdam. They affectionately called it the Beje. A nickname short of the road’s real name, Barteljorisstraat.

When looking online for information about the ten Booms, I found this interesting blog post that tells an overview of their story and gives a tour of their home. The Corrie ten Boom house by Kevin & Amanda.

I was fascinated to find that their home itself has been preserved as a museum in tribute to the ten Boom family and at this site you can get lots more detail and even take a virtual tour.

One more quote from this humble, playful and loving woman.

The View

A man came in and sat down for a chat,

He said, “I come from Alberta,” as he took off his hat.

“Out of every window is a million-dollar view

Of mountains and streams and fields kissed with dew.

Not a person around as far as you can see.

A paradise on earth, if you ask me.”

I thought for a minute then said, “That sounds pretty fair,

But I’ve got a view that’s beyond compare.”

The man kind of chuckled as he looked around,

At the rusty old tractor and the shed falling down.

“Wouldn’t you rather live in a nicer place?”

He said with confusion across his face.

I smiled and I said, “My view is just fine,”

As I tipped back my old wooden chair to recline.

“In every direction I look and I see,

A friend and a neighbor who is special to me.

I don’t have to look very far to find,

A face that is warm, gentle and kind.

A lot of these people were young with me,

 And now our grandkids are up on our knee.

Through ups and downs we saw them through,

We laughed, we worked, and stayed friends true.

“Whenever there’s trouble that does abound,

I can count on my neighbors to gather around.

And when times of sorrow pass through my home,

It’s then when their true compassion is shown.

Though the times we live in can pull us apart,

They never really stray very far from my heart.

Memories past and new ones to come

Keep drawing us back for friendship and fun.

To the north, south, east, or west,

Wherever I look the view is the best.

I’m filled with such warmth whenever I see,

The wonderful people who are all around me.

God made some nice places under the sun,

But honestly, I think I’ve got the best one.

I’m sure your mountains are pretty to see,

But there’s really no place that I’d rather be.”

The man sat quietly then nodded his head,

He replied, “You know, I wish I lived here instead.”

Susan Ritchie – Farming Magazine, Fall 2015

In her new winter coat, hat and scarf, Penny has joined the dogs and I for a walk on a grey day.

Building a snowman…

“Once I was a snowball,

Then I grew and grew,

Now I am a snowman,

How do you do? “

“I’m a friendly snowman big and fat,

Here is my tummy and here (where?) is my hat.

I’m a happy fellow, here’s my nose

I’m all snow from my head to my toes.

I have two bright eyes so I can see

All the snow falling down on me.

When the weather’s cold I’m strong and tall,

But when its warm I get very small.”

But big, friendly Fritz was the end of that snowman…Poor lil’ guy.

 ***********

Some beautiful scenes on a sunny day…

“I opened my eyes and my room was bright,

I wondered what happened outside last night.

I opened the windows and let everyone know

The world was covered with fluffy white snow.

I grabbed my mittens, my scarf, and my suit,

And pulled on my brand new winter boots.

I ran outside and started to play,

And hoped that the snow was here to stay.”

 “Down, down, and down it falls,

The bushes look like popcorn balls.

The places where I usually play

Look like somewhere else today.”

I love how this picture captured Randy in motion!  What a happy smile, those dogs really love the snow!

After romping about, Fritz got tired and had to rest on the soft bed of snow.

“Beautiful feathery flakes of snow

Over the woodland and field they go,

Making a blanket so warm and deep,

Over the flowers that lie asleep.”

Here is little Evangeline, all excited about her recent fantastic trip to “The Last Frontier”, the beautiful state of Alaska!

The cities in red were places that she visited, from Seattle, Washington, all the way up to Fairbanks,  Alaska, nearly to the Arctic Circle.  Oh, what a lot of sights she saw!

Lets begin our trip memories in Seattle, Washington:

Here you see Evangeline posing with her hosts, Mike and Char Mumau, near the market in this busy city.

And here is a colorful close-up of her favorite seat among the dahlias.

She really liked her visit in Kirkland, Washington, visiting friends, enjoying the beautiful garden of Pastor Eric and Cheryl Malone.

Ketchikan, Alaska

Alaska is full of history, and the early people here often made tribute to historic events in these carved wooden monuments called totem poles.  I wonder what stories this one could tell?

A scary moment in Ketchikan, when Evangeline thought her travels were over.  A BEAR GOT HER!!

Juneau, Alaska

Juneau is Alaska’s capital city.  Not far away is the Mendanhall Glacier that is 12 miles long.

How special to find a mighty little glacier, your very own size.

Watch out for the bears, Evangeline!!!

Ah, but the eagles are so majestic and full of wisdom.

What a beautiful sunrise seen at Glacier Bay National Park.  So peaceful and inspiring.

It makes me think of Paul’s words in Ephesians chapter 3:

Denali National Park,  Alaska

Those log benches are pretty neat!

This Park is centered around the highest mountain in North America, Mount McKinley.  Evangeline and her friends saw this bull moose in the Denali Park.  The moose is officially Alaska’s State land mammal.

Fairbanks, Alaska

The largest city in Alaska’s interior. Its fascinating that the Northern Lights can be seen in the night sky more than 200 days per year in this area so far north.  The shortest winter day of the year here has less than three hours of sunlight, but the longest day (around June 21) never really ends, though officially it has over 21 hours.

In the cabbage patch at the Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Gardens:

“Hanging with the boys” in Pioneer Village, here they have created a replica gold-rush town, and an Native Alaskan village and museum, and lots more to see!

Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Saying goodbye to Alaska, and heading south, back to the States, Evangeline enjoyed stopping to see the Victoria Province Capital Building.  How pretty it looks all decorated in these lights.

One more stop, at the world famous Empress Hotel.  Would you like to join Evangeline for tea this evening?

I’d like to include this fascinating story about how Alaska got its State Flag.

Alaska was purchased from Russia in 1867.  Alaska was still a territory in 1926 (before it became a state in 1959).  The governor decided to hold a contest for children to design an official Alaskan flag.  It was open to all children in Alaska grades 7-12.  A 13 year old boy, Benny Benson, from an orphanage in Seward entered the contest.  He was born in Chignik, a small fishing village, his father was a Swedish fisherman and his mother was an Aleut-Russian.  Out of hundreds of submissions, his design was chosen; on a blue background he arranged the constellation of the Big Dipper pointing to the North Star.

Benny said:  “The blue field is for the Alaska sky and the forget-me-not, an Alaska flower.  The North Star is for the future of the state of Alaska, the most northerly in the Union.  The dipper is for the Great Bear – symbolizing strength.”

I found this quote about when Benny Benson learned about his win in March 1927  http://fairbanks-alaska.com/benny-benson.htm . “One day our teacher’s  husband came in the room and he brought a telegram,” Benson recalled in 1971. “She just looked at it and her mouth dropped open. She was speechless.   … And I darned near fell out of my seat, I guess.”

Thank you to Mike and Char Mumau for the chance to be included on this very special trip!