After two aborted attempts to cross the channel (due to Loes's broken legs and later, a family funeral) we finally re-arrange our Dutch holiday

and take the Channel Tunnel to Calais, then drive up through France, Belgium and Holland, to stay with Loes's brother in Amsterdam.

Chance for her to catch up with family and friends and do some new sightseeing, including a 5 hour drive east to Kassel in Germany to visit her sister.

Re-arranging Le Shuttle tickets was easy (done on-line at no extra expense) . . . getting there was a little more difficult.

We drove down from Cumbria and navigated the London circular M25, reaching Tonbridge in Kent for an overnight stay with Robin (Loes's son) and Rosie.

The following morning we had a short hour's drive to arrive here at the Folkestone Euro Tunnel approach . . . passports ready please !

All cleared and we were driving down the ramp and approaching the two-level tunnel train transporters.

The carriages have a vehicle sized door and a ramp inside for those on the upper deck.

This time we were directed to the second door and a place on the lower deck.

It was 10.45 am as we drove inside virtually the length of the train and settled for the short crossing.

Time to settle in the car, apply the handbrake, re-set our watches and plan the route north to Holland . . . the only problem was no internet to get the sat nav to work properly !

The roads and motorways took us steadily towards our destination (photo by Loes from the passenger seat).

Holland is a country full of rivers and canals.

Here we're approaching one of the motorway tunnels, dipping down under the water, leaving a large cruise liner above us, up in the dockland.

The sloping screens are a feature of the Dutch motorways . . . they are sound deflectors to cut down road noise from spreading over the surrounding area.

Loes in her brother's small but beautifully designed town house garden.

. . .and here's Eddy her brother, resident, head gardener and our host for the next few days.

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Eddy lives on Het Eiland, literally an island, in the middle of one of the secondary canals, that connect Amsterdam to West Knollendam a short distance north.

Next morning Loes and I stretch our legs with a small walk around his island.

This is the view north towards the churches and higher buildings at the centre of Zaandam.

The canals are busy with traffic, both commercial and leisure.

The island was only accessible by a rowing boat ferry until 1939 . . . that was replaced by a motor boat and subsequently a bridge.

It now has two bridges and has a boat marina surrounding three sides of the island.

The housing varies from Eddy's two story town house, to these striking designer houses and an eight storey tower block.

More development on the mainland side of the river as the tall cranes build a new high rise block.

There is every type of boat from this sailing boat here (no mast at present), to a river boat and this ex-commercial pilot or small tug vessel.

We've crossed on of the bridges into old Zaandam, where there are several classic looking old houses.

That magnificent frontage is a facade . . . the two houses had the same tiled roofs behind.

In town the main canal has a set of old lock gates, allowing boats to continue their passage up river.

Walking back through the old town we find this lovely flower garden.

The area in fact covers an underground car park and the sign request people to keep their 'honds' from messing on the flower bed !

The web page pointed me to a painting of this "Blau Huis" (Blue House), though the area and the house have subtly changed over time.

Back over the second bridge, on our way back to Eddy's house on the island.

The marina is busy and parts of it are also being updated with new pontoons moorings.

Back over the lifting bridge that gives larger vessels and sailing boats access to the marina.

The high rise is on the island and Eddy's house is in the low-rise brown buildings beyond it.

Time passes and to close, just two photos of the marina as the light fades on our first evening.

The was the view west, towards those cranes again, as the last aircraft of the day fly low towards distant Schiphol Airport.

Nice to see familiar views once again as we settle in for a couple of days here in north Amsterdam.

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1. - Out to Zaandam -	2. - Enkhuizen and Permerend -	3. North Holland / Amsterdam	4. Germany and Vellmar	5. German Edersee and back to Calais	6. Back in the UK	7. Swansea and home.

Previous walk - 18th June 2025 - Buttermere with Alex and Jill

A previous time in the area - 11th - 23rd Sept 2023 - Holland and Germany

Our next walk - 6th July 2025 - Enkhuizen and Permerend