Day 7, 19 June 2014, Amsterdam - Bus excursion to Zaanse Schans, Verkade Chocolate Museum, speedy return to Centraal Station, change bus and out to historic little harbour Volendam (look, look, walk, walk) back on a bus, back to Centraal, tram to lunch and PHEW! 24 hour Regional Transport ticket expires (if it could have self-combusted and gone up in a puff of smoke, it would have). Stroll through De Negen Straatjes.

Didn't really know what to expect at Zaanse Schans. My "Get Out of Town" leaflet showed windmills and that I was determined to see. So it was out of the hotel by 7.45 am, onto a tram to Centraal Station and a quick recce of the big map to find where the correct bus was. Onto the bus and off, through the countryside (long roads, flat fields, trees, cows, repeat) and in 40 minutes the driver announced Zaanse Schans. We couldn't possibly have been there - like most of the other stops along the way, we were still on a main road and there were just a couple of big industrial looking buildings. But he seemed certain, so I jumped off looked down and saw white painted footprints and "Zaanse Schans". Right. COOL!!! Just around the corner from the Zaan Museum & the Verkade Pavilion there they were, my windmills, sails pushing majestically up and through and around. It was only 8.55 am and the information counter was shut for another 5 minutes so off I went and headed on in to a little bit of Holland from the 17th & 18th centuries. Aside from one small tour group it was blessedly empty - so I strolled along the dijk in peace, enjoying the breeze and planning my visit. First stop, literally as they opened the door was an oil mill called De Zoeker / The Seeker opened in 1676. I'm not sure I truly knew what the windmills (or "molens") did, but it turns out they were for commercial purposes not just postcards. That is sawing timber, hulling grain, producing oil, paint, paper, tobacco and mustard. There were up to 1000 in the Zaan area once upon a time and the preserved ones I can see along the Kalverringdijk are still in use - though more so for the tourists me thinks. Anyway the one producing peanut oil was massive. And dark and a little smoky from the heat and squashing of the nuts and the production of oil. And very creaky. I climbed up the stairs (glorified ladder) and saw the upper workings before stepping out onto the balcony and feeling the breeze of the sails. It didn't seem overtly dangerous... but not frightfully safe either - lots of "Enter at your Own Risk" signs, skulls and and low railings. Glad I'd beaten the hordes. Back down the ladder and off to my next destination - De Kat (go on... The Cat!) This one is a dye mill - but I think of it as the patchwork mill. In 1959 the top and interior machinery of dye mill De Duinjager/The Dune Hunter was placed on the base of the oil mill De Kat - and the two remnants from 1780 approximately started out new life as dye mill De Kat. Apparently it's the last wind powered dye mill in the world. By the time I visited the balcony on De Kat, there were a lot of windmill photos in the camera, so it was time to emerge into reality again only to find 17th & 18th century Holland had been overrun by dozens of tourist coaches (no shortage of folks shelling out €80 odd a head for a trip to the country). Made all the little museums (bakery, grocery, cheese) seem a little tacky - but it didn't stop me visiting them - free tastings anyone? Then off to the big Zaan Museum - was starting to feel the pressure of time so I devoted myself to the Verkade Pavilion. I know... who??? But if you think of it as the Dutch equivalent to Lindt or Cadbury you'd be on the right track. Saw the original machinery making biscuits and chocolates and massive exhibits of this family company's endeavours. Even purchased a block of dark chocolate on my way out the door - sustenance for the rest of the excursion. Back onto the white footsteps quick smart - I even ran because my bus was sitting there with no indication of when it was about to leave. As it turns out though I had a few minutes up my sleeve for surreptitious investigations of my chocolate bar. Back to town and it was the lurch of the bus stopping at Centraal that woke me up. Decanted onto the pavement it was another investigation of the big map and in and through Centraal to the water side of the station, to get immediately onto a bus heading to Edam and Volendam. It took a while to click, but Volendam sounded familiar because it was the name of the Holland America cruise ship that James and I spent Christmas & New Year on. This trip was straight into the heart of cheese country - lots of fields and cows and 40 minutes later dropped into the heart of Volendam (aka Tourist Central). It actually made Zaanse Schans look empty - but hey - I'm a tourist and I'm here! Cute little harbour, really just a strolling street and an opportunity to air out a wallet with souvenirs of Holland, made in China, but nice for a look and then back to the bus stop, back to Centraal and onto a tram immediately - off to lunch at 1.30 pm just before my ticket finally expired. Well and truly worth it's weight in gold. Being officially a tram-free zone I had to walk to the hotel later that afternoon and discovered De Negen Straatjes or the Nine Streets - a villagey little section of shops/cafes/galleries between Spui (pron: "Spow") and the west of centre where my digs are. Nice little discovery and might stroll there again on Saturday perhaps. As it was, it was raining with intent to cause dampness and greyness and time for good little tourists to return to their eagles' nests for well deserved rests. And editing of windmill photos. Oh yeah.