Located 15 km away from Rotterdam, Kinderdijk is an UNESCO World Heritage site that is reminiscent of the beautiful Dutch landscape: whirling windmills floating on the grassy banks of the marshes.

Our tour guide arranged a private boat for our group that took us down the course of the river and allowed us to admire the breathtaking scenery on both banks. Apparently, people can leisurely walk or bike along the banks; or stop for refreshments at a small café near the entrance.

Once we made the roundtrip, the boat stopped in front of a demonstration mill. We were able to go up the narrow passageway inside the mill and see how inhabitants lived within. The mills in Kinderdijk are actively spinning. The steam pumping station near the entrance powers the mills through the combined use of steam and electromotors that turn the water wheel. The mills are also organized in a zigzag pattern so that each mill can catch the wind that blows by.

Afterwards, we returned to the Den Haag, where we stayed for an additional night.

References

Kinderdijk. (2015). Discover Kinderdijk. Retrieved from https://www.kinderdijk.com/