Woke up this morning to views of the Markermeer, a large lake in the central Netherlands. It used to be part of the Zuiderzee, but is now a freshwater lake. Hoorn, with a beautiful old city area, is one of the richest Dutch ports.
Everyone walks or cycles or uses a small boat moored outside their door.
We managed to get a taxi to centre and do some shopping, some coffee in a Pancake Café
(
the Trophy is for Pancake Champs of the year – NOT Sam!!!) There was bell ringing practice in the nearby church for the duration of our coffee – not sure if this is an everyday occurrence!
We then had to make a mad dash to the Westfries Museum right in the town centre to see the current “special” exhibition. It’s an exhib of returned art. In 2005, 24 paintings and 17 pieces of silver were stolen. Five of the paintings were recently discovered in the Ukraine and have been returned to Westfries. All of them have sustained major damage but luckily are in the process of being restored. The Statue is of a guy called Coen, very big in the Dutch West Indies – came from Hoorn.
The luxury of sitting in a bar and calling a taxi to the door!!!!!
With all that culture under our belts, we hit back to the ship for drinks and dinner. All free for the cruise duration!!!!! and then onto deck for a last look at the sunset in Hoorn!
