A trip to Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans is a small village near Amsterdam. Recently we took a 20 mintute train from Amsterdam Centraal to Zaanse Schans. It was our first outing together. Me, Jayasankar and Madhav had ventured into the expedition, on the guidelines of Narayan.

We got down at the Zaanse Schans station and started our walk towards the unknown. We crossed some stinking streets, stinking with the smell from a near by factory. Looked more like a rice mill to me. There we crossed a bridge, from where a lot of old windmills were visible. Okay, now that we are on the right track, we marched forward and got into one of the first windmills. The entry ticket cost us 2.5 euros per head. The Cat, as it was called was huge from inside. They were using the windmill for grinding colour powder. When we were there, they were grinding some lime stone. Two huge stone wheels, each weighing 3 tonnes were being rolled by the power of AIR....

we went up and down the windmill, clicking as many pics as possible. After getting tired, we got out of the tiny windmill, and went forward to see the other two windmills in the same direction. we did not bother to enter any of the other windmills.

Ofcourse, the windmills were very beautiful and considering that they were built hundreds of years back, it was really breathtaking. Obviously it was a very windy place. I am visiting Amsterdam when it has one of the best climates of the year. So it was really COOL and good.

A few ducklings were having a feast at a near by fields.

There was also some model town, model village, and lots and lots of small bridges around.

In the village, in a small hotel, I took some mineral water, while Madhav and Jay took an ice fruit. While we enjoyed our refreshments, sitting in what was once a hut, we observed some people trying to walk using an alluminium walking sticks. I dont know what you call it, but it has a small foot hold, and you have to climb on it and walk with the stick. Jay was good at doing it. Madhav tried hard in vain. When I tried, I bannged a few times on the walls of the hut it was leaning on. An old lady got tensed and rushed out to check what had happened to her hut.

While returning from the windmills, there were a lot of beautiful Roses literally everywhere. The streets were all decorated with beautiful flowers. Just trying to imagine my home place with such decorations.

By the time we got back to Amsterdam it was afternoon. I had my first ever Falafel. Falafel is a "Aamai Vadai" type of dish, which is placed inside a Naan like bread. This stuff costs around 2.8 Euros for a small piece. But you are allowed to take any amount of vegitable Saladas available at the Moaz shop.


when we were nearing our home, we were crossing one of the many cannals of Amsterdam. The sun was setting late in the night, and it was a beautiful sight. We stopped to take a few snaps. But we were surprised when hundreds of boats started stromming the cannal. It was some kind of cannoing weekend it seems...

actually, am not in the best of the moods to describe all the places. I will do so when I get more time. It was actually a lot of interesting things that happened.


more later.....