Tuesday 20 March
Today we walked through town to the bus station, and took a bus South to Monnickendam, a pretty town on the Gouwzee. we wandered through to the harbour, which holds several large barges, but we could probably have squeezed in if we’d tried. We found a lovely lunch in Beauqz, then walked a different route back to the bus stop via some interesting plaques, clockmakers and mini canals with swing bridges.
We took another bus to Volendam, but it was full of schoolchildren mimicking an aviary full of overexcited budgies, so we got off as soon as possible, near the swanky marina, whose facilities look brand new, but the chandler said it was 11 years old. It was a good walk along the high dyke from the very tourist-tacky town, but quieter for that and probably comfortable.
We wandered along the town quay where the ferries leave for Marken, and escaped the clutches of the tourist traps through to the other side where we found the right bus stop for Edam and home.
We were both tired by now, and decided to save Edam for the return trip in the Autumn. From the bus we spotted lots of geese, in fields and sky, oystercatchers and (possibly) greenshanks, feeding in flooded meadows. Livestock included horses and sheep, five or six tiny black ponies, two huge amber pigs and two chocolate donkeys, and several pairs of huge bunnies. They couldn’t have been hares, as the ears weren’t long enough or black-tipped, but they were easily twice the size of British wild rabbits.
MATE RATES:
On arriving back at Hoorn bus station, we took a brief detour to Albert Heijn for emergency provisions, and then made our way to the tempting Greek restaurant I’d earmarked for Skipper’s birthday supper (as we plan to be en route tomorrow). Having found it open on Monday, it was unexpectedly closed today, so we headed instead for tapas at ‘La Cubanita’.
This turned out to be a far better choice, great food and a fun way of eating out: you order two dishes per person in each round, writing their numbers on a beer mat, and you keep ordering and eating until you are full – all for €17.50 a head. Sparkling water is expensive but tap water is available, the wine list is short and rather uninspiring, desserts are extra and the crème catalana is very good.