Post by Dave on Jun 5, 2018 17:19:23 GMT
Zaanse Schans - traditional Dutch village
On our last day in Holland my late wife and I were taken to a place Rolf and his family described at Holland’s answer to Cockington. When Rolf was here in Torbay he fell in love with Cockington as it was the first place he ever saw cottages with thatched roofs.
Located just north of Amsterdam, the Zaanse Schans offers a perfectly preserved glimpse into the Netherlands' industrial past with its traditional houses, windmills, warehouses and workshops
In its 18th and 19th century heyday, the Zaan region was an important industrial area dotted by hundreds of windmills producing linseed oil, paint, snuff, mustard, paper and other products. Many of the Zaanse Schans' characteristic village houses are now museums, gift shops or workshops while others are still used as private residences
All is not really as it seems at Zaanse Schans as from 1961 to 1974 old buildings and windmills from all over the Zaanstreek were relocated using lowboy trailers to Zaanse Schans, It is a created tourist attraction unlike Cockington which was simply turned into one.
It is well worth the visit but it gets rather busy there and it is also free to enter but there are charges to go into the windmills etc.
