Our next venture was to go on a canal ride. We'd seen many people throughout the morning enjoying these trips and so we are looking forward to this ride. There are many canals in this town but we were just covering the main canal that encircles the city centre and it promised to reveal a good view of the city.
We had booked this canal trip on the Internet and so we took a leisurely walk across town until we came to the meeting spot. Many of the canal boats have glassed in cabins but when our canal boat was an open boat and we were glad because we knew we'd get a better view. Once aboard we were offered cool drinks which was good because the afternoon was proving to be quite warm.
Our driver showed us a map of the route we would be taking and also explain that whenever we came to a bridge cross the canal we needed to remain seated so that we didn't lose our heads if we stood up.
We had a beautiful afternoon relaxing in the boat, listening to the commentary that our driver gave us and enjoying the breeze as we travelled along the canal. Several boats passed us and we waved hello to one another. We also saw boats laden with parcels being delivered to various shops around the town. Sometimes we saw teenagers travelling together on rubber duckies with small outboard motors. They were having a great time and were sticking to the speed limit which keeps canal travel safe. Our driver told us that the water police check on boat speeds regularly and that the fines are very high. We passed moored live-in barges which are a cheaper way of living for students and others because rents are very high in Haarlem due to a shortage of housing. Besides that some people like barge life and can dock in town during the week and head off into the countryside for the weekends for a festival, fishing trip or just a change of scenery.
An unusual church building took my eye so I included it in my photos. There were also many other sights but too many to include in our blog. During the canal boat trip I felt quite ill and lay down on Ken's knee and along the boat's bench seat. It was the beginning of viral infection but I didn't know it at the time. One of our fellow passengers was very kind and put a cool rag around my neck to know my fever. Then she covered the rest of my body so that I wouldn't get sunburnt lying in the sun for the rest of the trip. How kind of Hazel to do that for me. I was very grateful to her for her practical help.
However, we did pass an old windmill towards the end of our tour and it turned out to be our next excursion activity so because I wasn't feeling well we got off at the mill spot so that I didn't have to walk back to it. The rest of the passengers decided to join us too to save their legs.
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