This morning could be mistaken for summer, it’s 18C when we set off to catch the ferry to the Zuider Zee Museum, which is included in the €16 ticket price.
The deck hand is a friendly chap who knows Falmouth well as he was driving lorries of fish during the makerel bonanzas of the 70s and 80s. From the ferry we get really good views of all the tall ships lined up near our camperstop.
We alight at the open air museum which tells of the reclamation of land and fight to keep the waters at bay with a village constructed from buildings removed during the ‘impoldering’.
There is a seaweed warehouse built from old timber when seaweed was used for strengthening dykes, stuffing matresses and processed for medicinal iodine. Three tall chimneys were lime kilns where sea shells were burned to make lime or slaked lime. We walk the top of a reconstructed dyke with houses and gardens 2 or 3 metres below us, before we come to the polder mill, a classic windmill used for pumping out water.
There are cottages of fishermen and farmers and we learn fishermen drew lots for fishing areas as those living at the top oft he canals had less chance of good fishing. Some houses are combined cowshed and living area, simply furnished.
At the smokehouse we sample hot, oak-smoked salmon, delicious with its warm oils leeching out of the firm flesh.
A museum hand in a punt draws alongside and ask Ali, NickW and Grete if they’s like a trip around the village on the water, and off they go,
Later we visit the ‘comercial’ area; an apothecary full of stone drugs jars, butchers, bakers, smithy, glass stainer and saiklmaker. The laundry is amazing; wooden wash drums and barrels powered by an overhead system of belts and shafts. It’s warmth, soapy smells and gentle slushing sounds taking us back to washdays of our childhood. Beside the wash-house is the scotch boiler and steam engine providing heat and power.
The schoolhouse, with ink-stained floors and the simple church almost complete our visit. But towards the exit there are some more wooden boats, a farm and a net house where a man is mending nets. Let’s just say his slow threading means he wouldn’t last long in Newlyn or Looe!
The ticket include the indoor museum across the road from the exit.
What a let down. Parts of the old boathouse have had the glass and polished metal treatment and a lift helps wheelchairs to the exhibition halls but these are full of crass ‘if you don’t understand it you are a philistine’ type of art. One has glass cases with half a dozen old chairs, the like of which were all in their rightful settings across the road.
Another hall has two cabinets with 10 or 12 plaster cabbages on display. OK cabbages are an important crop here, but please.
The best and most relevant items, the wooden boat collection, is not accessible and only visible to wheelchair users if, like Nick, you can stand to peer over the wall.
We make our way back into town and sit in baking sunshine on the terrace of De T’Ankertje [Little Anchor] and order wine and tapas.
Back at the harbour it is still very warm. We are worn out and in bed before 21:00