(photograph © Kiwidutch)
Everyone knows that the Netherlands fights a constant battle against water.
From the fabricated story of the little boy who saved the day by putting his finger in the dyke, to the massive sea walls and protective sea defence system that connect to an intricate pumping system that pumps the country dry 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year.
Without them the water-table would rise to it’s natural level and flood much of the country that stands below sea level.
Being masters of claiming land back from Mother Nature means compromising too, once you pump the water off the land you need somewhere for it to go and this means more little waterways than you can count, from tiny canals that run like stripes though farmers fields to large marine highways that transport everything from pleasure-craft to huge industrial barges.
Canals often follow roads and bridges allow access over them to houses, farms and villages so of course there are bridges galore. As we follow our brother in law to the place where his little sailing boat is currently moored, I start taking photos of just a few of the bridges that we see…
Many of them are simple lifting bridges that will allow the smaller type boat traffic to pass beneath once the middle section is raised, others are more fixed but raised to allow the same. The windmill may be an internationally known icon of The Netherlands but these little lift up bridges are everywhere and as much a true symbol of the country as the mills are… let’s take a look…
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
(photograph © Kiwidutch)
I like that song as well…
Comment by kiwiskan — February 24, 2013 @ 6:42 am |
I think I’d be worried about flooding if I lived there. It’s a shame the UK doesn’t take some tips from the Dutch on pumping the water from the land and rechanelling it somewhere else
It’s always interesting to learn about other countries and their different quirks. I’ve never been to holland. The only think I knew about it before reading your blog was that it was famous for bulbs…expecially tulips! And the song…”Tulips in Amersterdam” or was thata verse from a song? 
Interesting post and pictures kiwi.
Comment by Piglet in Portugal — February 24, 2013 @ 9:03 am |
I couldn’t get past your second paragraph – the little dyke boy story isn’t true??
Comment by The Laughing Housewife — February 24, 2013 @ 7:44 pm |
Haha… Tilly, Not only is it not true, it wasn’t even invented by the Dutch… we have the American author Mary Mapes Dodge to blame for that one via her book ” Hans Brinker; or a.k.a. the Silver Skates: A Story of Life in Holland” from way back in 1865.
Comment by kiwidutch — February 24, 2013 @ 11:05 pm |
The bridge in the 7th picture looks like part of an old railway bridge. Where is this picture taken?
Comment by Reservebelg — February 27, 2013 @ 5:33 pm |
Reservebelg, Welcome to my blog
I’ve calculated that this bridge must be somewhere close to Schipluiden… since we were following Brother in Law’s car like glue and trying not to get lost twice in one morning….and not getting there under our own navigation I couldn’t tell you exactly where, sorry.
Comment by kiwidutch — February 28, 2013 @ 5:41 pm |