River Cruise: Brussels to Amsterdam

(Most photos from Jack or Dianne; all narrative and few photos from web sources)

August 14 to August 20, 2022

Sunday, August 14

Arrival / City View Walk

Monday, August 15

City Tour of Brussels

The City of Brussels is the largest municipality and historical center of the Brussels-Capital Region, as well as the capital of Belgium. The City of Brussels is also the administrative center of the European Union, as it hosts a number of principal EU institutions in its European Quarter.

Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula City Hall / Blanket of Flowers

City Square / Guild’s Power “Famous” Monument

Mannekin Pis

Atomium (World’s Fair 1958)

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Tuesday, August 16

City Tour of Ghent

Ghent, one of Belgium's oldest cities, boasts medieval and classical architecture that contrasts with a newer, urban feel. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Leie, and in the late Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of Northern Europe.

Belfrey of Ghent City Hall (two era of construction)

St. Bavo’s Cathedral Historic Shopping Plaza

Graffiti Straat Ghent is Graffiti Friendly

Gravensteen from boat tour

One of many Guild Halls Greit Cannon

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Wednesday, August 17

World War I Memorials

(Following Photos and Narrative from Web sources)

Flanders Field War Museum in Ypres

Essex Farm Cemetery is a World War I, Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground within the John McCrae Memorial Site.

The Yorkshire trench is an example of one which was lost for many years, but then rediscovered and the trench lines recreated.

The German war cemetery of Langemark is near the village of Langemark,, in the Belgian province of West Flanders.

Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery and Memorial to the Missing is a Commonwealth War Graves Commission burial ground for the dead of the First World War in the Ypres Salient on the Western Front. It is the largest cemetery for Commonwealth forces in the world, for any war.

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Overnight Crossed from Belgium into Netherlands

Thursday, August 18

Morning Visit of Middleburg (Holland)

Middelburg, the capital of the province of Zeeland, is a small and quiet city with an estimate of 47,000 in population and is surrounded by canals and a star-shaped ring of ‘grachten’. It is also one of the oldest towns in the Netherlands.

(above photos from web source)

15 Century Walkway Abbey Courtyard

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Afternoon Visit of Flood Museum and Storm Surge Barrier

The 1953 North Sea flood was a major flood caused by a heavy storm at the end of Saturday, 31 January 1953 and morning of the next day. The storm surge struck the Netherlands, north-west Belgium, England and Scotland. A combination of a high spring tide and a severe European windstorm over the North Sea caused a storm tide.

The Watersnoodmuseum or Flood Museum in Ouwerkerk, Netherlands is the "National Knowledge and Remembrance Centre for the Floods of 1953" and offers an in-depth picture of the events during and after the flood of 1 February 1953. The museum was officially opened on 2 April 2001. (Museum Images from Web Source)

In 1976 a plan was launched: a storm surge barrier with 62 openings of 40 meters wide. Whenever extremely high tides were forecast, these openings could be closed with hydraulic slides to protect the hinterland. The 2.5 billion euro project was carried out. On October 4, 1986, the barrier – a fine example of Dutch hydraulic ingenuity – was festively opened by (then) Queen Beatrix.

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Friday, August 19

Windmills of Kinderdijk

In the beautiful, water-rich area near Dordrecht you will find the windmills of Kinderdijk. Built around 1740, these 19 magnificent windmills stand here as part of a larger water management system to prevent flooding.

Today they symbolize Dutch water management and in 1997 they were declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Why? The Kinderdijk windmills were built to keep the low-lying land of the Alblasserwaard dry.

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Saturday, August 20

Visit of Zaandam

Zaanse Schans is a neighborhood of Zaandam, Netherlands. It is best known for its collection of windmills and wooden houses that were relocated here from the wider region north of Amsterdam for preservation.

De Kat Paint Mill

Only such mill still in operation

(above photo from web source)

Making Wooden Shoes

Sun Deck Lunch with shipmate Angel

Sunday, August 21 Cancelled visit in Amsterdam headed home a day early. Bad weather at EWR forecast.

The End

Additional Travel Photos at

http://www.retkuprof.com/TravelPhotos.html