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We took a train & bus to the Zaanse Schans open air museum. Actually it’s quite the tourist trap w/busloads of people. There was a great clog making demonstration. It took less than 5 minutes to shape a pair of clogs from a green block of poplar or willow, then carve out the insides. Quite a bit faster than using hand tools!

These are a sample of the original shaped wooden clogs. They also made them with knee-high leather uppers, roller skate clogs, frilly & decorative dress-up & bridal clogs, clogs with high heels & spiky ones for ice fishing. The wood isn’t affected by water, sun, mud, rough use & they float. Fire however…

Don’t think these will stay on our feet or fit in our little backpacks!

The folks in red operate a little ferry from the re-created 17th century town (the open air museum) across the Zaan River to the village of Zaandijk. Established around 1494, it’s still a thriving community. There is a walking tour that highlights historical buildings.

It was a quick trip across the Zaan River. The ferry operators were multi-lingual & very accommodating.

After wandering through Zaandijk, we took a train into Amsterdam & did a Rick Steves self guided audio city tour. One of the stops was Bloemenmarkt, a block long floating flower market along Signel canal. Lots of flowers, bulbs and souvenirs for sale & vendors advertised purchases could be shipped most anywhere.

May 4th is Remembrance Day. This pic shows the crowds gathering at Dam Square in Amsterdam. The Dutch people take this time to honor & remember those who lost their lives during WWII & those who have fallen in subsequent conflicts.

Dam Square is being set up for the evening program when the King & Queen will be present. At 8pm 2 minutes of silence is observed nationwide. All public transportation stops along with vehicles. The white obelisk in the background is the National Monument built in 1956.

May 5th is Liberation Day. It’s a Dutch public holiday marking the day when the Netherlands was officially liberated from Nazi Germany by the allies, America, Britain, Canada & Poland. We’re in Haarlem near the park hosting the celebration. Literally thousands of people are walking or biking to the entrance. The area is closed to traffic for about a square mile.

This is as close as we got to the celebration, just TOO many people for us! Walking back to our hotel, away from the crowds, we dodged hundreds of people biking & walking towards the event. It was a beautiful sunny Sunday.

The Barrel Organ Museum is a super secret Sunday hangout in Haarlem. It’s the home of over a dozen unique organs & mostly has locals enjoying the concert. There is a small snack bar serving food & beer. There is a small area filled with tables & chairs. And it’s free.

The barrel organs were large & small. We passed a couple playing as we wandered through Alkmaar and Amsterdam. We’d call it oompah music!??