The harbourside is busy again with coaches for the river-cruisers and it’s a warm and sunny day for their excursions.
We set off separately today, Nick and Grete want to try Edam and take a coastal route, but we decide on the direct route to our stop and have a day’s rest.
There are some more bulb fields as we leave Enkhuizen, then after skirting Edam we see the flat grassy levels with drainage ditches and wood fencing we remember well from our last trip.
Our stopover tonight is a much needed free one; being used to so many free ones in France, Italy and Iberia, the costs mount in Holland where most places make a charge.
Simonhoeve near Katwoude is a tourist magnet that sells cheese and clogs, but before buying visitors are given an instructive talk about cheese-making in Holland then give a workshop demonstration of the processes of clog making. It’s all free but the vast array of cheeses and clogs or clog shaped items means few leave the shop empty handed. Coach parties come and go every 15 to 20 minutes, Over 20 come this afternoon alone.
Beside the car park a sign on the cycle track says Volendam 2km so Ali decides to walk it, Nick happy to keep cool in the van and read. The walk beside the canal is attractive with birds and a windmill but the harbour in Volendam is packed with restaurants and souvenir shops which Ali describes as Padstow on steroids.
Nick and Grete arrive and go for their visit during a short lull in coaches. We have been before and although interesting we don’t need to see it again.
By the evening the temperature has reached 33C
Ali cooks salmon risotto and we have another early night.