This lovely place is Maassluis. It is one of those enchanting fishing villages on the estuary that flows from Rotterdam out into the North Sea. Luckily, it is just inside the great flood gates that protect Rotterdam from sea surges and excessively high tides, so although there is no lock between the river and the main harbours, it is safe from extreme conditions.
I had to go there today as it is where my new bookkeeper has his offices, and despite the horrible weather that disrupted the entire country, I was really glad I had the chance to see it.
Visits to one's bookkeeper aren't exactly guaranteed to inspire enthusiasm, but what a little gem of a place Maassluis is. It is further from Rotterdam than would ever be convenient for us to live there, but it is one of those places where you kind of wish you could.
The snow doesn't often do much for this type of scenery, but today, it highlighted the colours, the yellows, the reds and the warm earthy bricks of the elegant 18th century Dutch houses that line the quays. The sky was pearly and the water glimmered with its sheen of ice. A lovely, lovely scene, even though my hands were shaking with cold as I took these photos.
It had taken me two hours to get there, courtesy of the snow, road and rail chaos - and longer than I have ever cared to wait on freezing draughty platforms. It should have been a twenty minute ride. Even so, I can honestly say I really enjoyed the ad...venture.
Yes, as lovely as the postcard winter scenes are, they belie how tedious it is to try to travel in them. I didn't realize the houses were that old, but the colour are enchanting.
ReplyDeletexx
AM
En...joyed the ride and the view. Although coming from this part of the world it looks gorgeous, I respect the journey through it all. Picturesque it is, what a lovely place to journey through.
ReplyDeletexox
There's many a comic sketch been made about the, erm, charms of bookkeeping I believe. But you are lucky have enchanted places like this around.
ReplyDeleteIt looks extra lovely in the snow:)
ReplyDeleteAnne Marie, you have got it in one. Travelling just goes into total chaos as soon as it snows here.
ReplyDeleteGrace, it's incredibly pretty, but so is where you live!
Maria, it's what Holland is best known for...apart from the obvious :)
Stu, if you haven't been there, you should!
It is very pretty but full of that horrible white stuff! Why does the travel system grind to a halt at the first sign of snow? Following on from your comment on my blog, do you have insulation under your floor? Keep warm xxxx
ReplyDeleteWow, lovely...it does look cold though, I am so glad the snow melted in one day out here although in London it is still sticking.
ReplyDeleteI just stumbled onto your blog from "Invading Holland," and I am delighted! My family is from Maassluis, so finding these pictures is like visiting again. You even snapped a picture of my uncle's house (he lives in front of the church on the harbor). I'm glad you found it to be so enchanting!
ReplyDelete