Week 26 Sailing in Friesland

I’m a member of the “Images International Photoclub”.

Being a native here in the Netherlands I like to organise outings to show the other non-native members a bit more from the country then just Amsterdam and the Hague.

I organised this trip to the north were I was born. The province is called Friesland.

On the first day we went sailing and visited a few small cities. Second day we drove by car and visited another 3 picturesque harbour cities. Most of them at least a 1000 year old.

We were lucky, in Sloten, there was the yearly fair. With lost of stands and also old tractors, trailers, sailing ships and tug boats.

I’ve done this trip countless time and therefore didn’t shoot any of the obvious nice village stuff. But here are a few of the pictures I made.

1

1

Part of an old tugboat engine on show. From the days when an engine was the size of a SUV and gave 140HP

1

1

One of the old fashioned trailers on show with a few of the inhabitants.

1

1

1

1

Interior is kept as original as possible.

1

1

With so many toys around there is need for a lot of serious talk.

1

1

Frisian cowboys with wooden shoes and a shirt made from the Frisian flag.

1

1

Serious talk.

1

1

More serious talk.

1

1

Tugboat detail

1

1

Then there was “ringsteken” A game which can be done on horseback or horses with carriage. But of course also with tractors. The aim is to collect as many rings as possible by sticking them on the wooden stick while driving and steering the tractor the same time.

This guy is going well.

1

1

This one a bit less.

1

1

Like father like son.

1

1

I asked him if it actually runs. He said it didn’t run that well.  I suspect that the father who made this made sure it wouldn’t go too fast. It was very ingenious built. The lawn mower engine runs freely. If he pules up the handle with his right hand, a roller will be propelled through a pulley which is attached to the engine on one side and a generator on the other side. The  generator makes an electrical engine run the skelter. In this way there is no need for complicated clutches and gearboxes.

1

1

Sailing boat detail.

1

1

Dike detail.

1

1

Harbour detail.

1

1

On the way back home we drove over the “Afsluitdijk” 30km long and built in 1932 to protect the inner part of the Netherlands against Northern storms. At the place were the dike is closed there is a monument. Traditional we always  stop there to make at least this classic picture over and over again. Some more here:https://michielfokkema.wordpress.com/picture-a-week-2006/week-52/

The dike.

1

1

The classic shot.

1

1

Bus stop detail.