Party time!

The millers have a messaging system using position of the sails and flags. As a communication tool it's a bit cliquey I feel.

Okay, the bike's probably fallen over with boredom but these ones are thatched. Different, eh?

Windmill alert!!

This one at Leidschen-dam is a bit special. It works an ancient timber mill still in operation. Floating all around it are customers' logs, seasoning in the water and creating an unusual boating hazard.

Wouldn't do to sleepwalk out of a Delft canalside house.

Antique tiles filled this little shop from floor to ceiling. Delft had a bad case of the blues.

From Schiedam we followed the canal to Delft. It's a lovely place but sadly the intimate little waterways that weave through the town are not open to boats.

Yes I know it's more windmills. Good view of Schiedam though.

Mmm. The aroma from this little factory in Schiedam.

It was here I discovered that it's not only the Belgians who can make really good chocolate.

It will be 2,001 windmills when this one is finished. You can never have enough.....

Schiedam boasts the tallest windmills in Holland.

Apparently, there were 9,000 windmills in the Netherlands in their heyday, now 'only' 2,000 remain.

Despite Schiedam trying to show us it's unsavoury side (see last post), the approach was delightful.

See the orange sign, centre of picture? Hope it will zoom enough for you to see the writing on it. It's like a bus stop - but not for buses!

Time for another windmill. This one a short trip from Rotterdam and back into more peaceful waters at Schiedam.

The Rotterdam watertaxis are fun to be on, scary to be overtaken by.

Rotterdam has busy waterways graced with beautiful bridges. Shipping of all description can make for challenging narrowboating.

Lost among the old ships of Rotterdam.

Rotterdam is an intriguing mix of old and new. The city was flattened in WWII, giving the architects an unequalled opportunity to shine. These cube shaped apartments are famous for their originality.They confuse the brain, which keeps trying to make sense of them. It seems, however much you try to rationalise, that the floors inside must be at a crazy angle!

This is the 'Spider', a gloriously restored Humber keel that had sailed over from UK for the fest. The crew were very proud of their beautiful boat and it was never short of visitors during the weekend.

The Rotterdam fest was a colourful and noisy affair. The tugs had come straight out of a children's storybook and delighted in hooting in unison at every opportunity.

Skipper took the picture 100ft up in the basket of a crane. It was offering 'rides'. The driver pulled the wrong lever, crashing the basket with skipper in it into crates and passersby. Whoops.

Despite the gales, we got to Rotterdam in time for their Tug Festival. Here we are manouvering into position alongside the white sea tjalk which had moored up to us earlier in the summer and had invited us along.

Tested the skipper's skills getting us in here off the River Lek through the tiny gap left by that trip boat.

The next day the wind blew at gale force 8. The mooring became a little uncomfortable.

The following day we chanced escaping in gale force 5. Snail handled perfectly and the motorbike got a much needed wash as the water came over the bow.

Sometimes the days are long and hard.

Gorinchem also has the inevitable windmill and Historic Haven. The Dutch have many old traditional boats still afloat and in use. The oldest we've seen bears the date 1884.

Many towns still have the remnants of their 17th century Vauban fortifications around their perimeter. Vauban must have been a busy man with an endless budget!

They are great to walk around and often give an extra dimension to the atmosphere and enjoyment of the visit. This is at Gorinchem.

Every trafficwarden should have one! Seen in Delft. Sort of takes away their authority somehow.

Time for a windmill. This particularly pretty example was on the Linge, a 'deadend' river that we nearly came to grief on when turning at the head of navigation. The mud was thick and the river shallow.....

It took us a while to work out why there was this row of streetlights in the middle of a field near our mooring on the River Linge. Skipper got there first - in the winter this meadow is flooded for ice-skating.

s'Hertogenbosch is an interesting city and we make full use of the free three day mooring. The architecture is a mix of old, well preserved and innovative new buildings. We swelter in a heatwave but find enough shade to complete the walk around the Vauban fortifications on the edge of the city.

Proof that we are now in the Netherlands! There are many differences with Belgium, this being one of them. The waterways here are abundant, busy with commercials and hundreds of cruisers and the locks are easy and efficient to use.

Near the Belgium/Netherlands border, canalside at Dessel, is this delightful sculpture. In the background is the 120ft Sas tower. When we reached the top an elderly gent had set up a telescope (which he must have lugged up all those stairs, no wonder he had a rosy coloured face!)and pointed out the sights to us. We were amazed how much of Flanders was forested.

That night we ascended the tower, now spotlit, again. A storm was gathering with thunder and lightening rolling round the tower. A dramatic goodbye to lovely Belgium. Tomorrow, the Netherlands.

This ship moored in Antwerp,painted battleship grey,came straight out of a James Bond film. It has a helicopter and a sleek speedboat onboard. Not sure if we were supposed to photograph it!

On our way to the Netherlands, we stay overnight on the only free mooring in Antwerp, arranged for us by our dredger friend there, Hendrick. There were some scary moments waiting on the main canal for the lift bridge to let us in here. Ships were coming at us from all directions and a galeforce wind was not helpful with manouvreing out of their way.

We have a new crew member,pictured here making himself at home. Rescued from the canal at Gent and talking in Flemish, he (perhaps, how can you tell?)showed his gratitude by biting my finger then settling on my head so what can you do but love it?

Seen on the Moervaart on our way back to Lokeren for a few days before we begin exploring the waterways of the Netherlands. Don't know what else to say......

The approach to Brugge. The city feels to us like a living museum piece. There are beautiful buildings and intriguing narrow alleyways. We are severely over charged in a cafe. Time to move on.

The canal and river from Ieper formed a frontline for the Belgian troops. One of the many trenches has been preserved. It was called the Dodengang, the trench of death. The many clumps of poppies growing out of the walls add to the poignancy.

Still today, farmers are killed as they plough their land and hit unexploded bombs from WW1. Every year, thousands of tons are still discovered in Belgium by specialist teams.

The Menin Gate stands high above the town of Ieper. Thousands of names are carved into the walls. So many killed in the First World War whose remains could not be found that, even with such a huge memorial, there is barely enough space for them all.

We have an appointment with the monks of StSixtus in Belgium to buy a crate of their beer, the 'best in the world', and very difficult to obtain as the monks refuse to increase production in spite of the demand. Too far by pushbike from Bergues so it's off with the Enfield. After a ride through glorious countryside, we arrive back at the boat with our much sought-after 24 bottles of Westvleteren beer still in one piece, if a little shaken.

We still have a few days left before our French 'vignette' runs out. From Calais we go to Dunkirk, then down the little canal de Bergues, a deadend, finishing in this beautiful little town. It is still surrounded by Vauban's angular and canalised fortifications of the 17th century, the most complete we have found on our travels so far and we spend a few happy days here.

The Calais fest is delightfully small scale with traditional skills such as fish smoking to watch and taste. We are given pride of place, never did find out why,and consequently had to work for our keep this time with many spectators wanting to know about why the boat is so narrow.

The last part of the month-long fest is spent at Calais where they hold a yearly maritime show, not on the same scale as Ostende as our group forms the largest display.

To reach the harbour we have to go through the sea lock.....

Ostende voor Anker

For the next four days we join in with what is regarded as the very best maritime festival in Europe at Ostende.

Boats who attend are treated very well, wined and dined and entertained in return for letting the public have a look at your boat.

We are the only narrowboat here among 200 trad., sailing boats and would attract a lot of attention but, luckily for our sanity, we are six boats away from the pontoon and can hardly be seen.

On the last morning, all crews are treated to a sea voyage on a tall ship with breakfast on board. Skipper gets the chance to climb out through the netting on the bowsprit while first mate just enjoys the views of the other ships joining us out at sea.

At 02.30 on Thursday morning the trams stop running in Gent and the bridges can at last be raised for us to enter the city center, the first time boats have been allowed to do this for four years. We moor up and sink into bed at 05.30.

There are thousands of spectators, many of whom seem to be more interested in our English narrowboat than these beautiful old wooden ships we are travelling with.

We look insignificant, and there are twenty more ships to arrive!

Snail's tiller is polished for the festival.

Trad style boats arrive for fest.

Gradually, during this week, sixty traditional flat-bottomed sailing boats will arrive in Lokeren for the start of the Stroppentocht boat festival. This 24m long boat needed a little help.

Locking, Belgium style

Our friends come over to Terneuzen with their boat from the English canal system. We meet up to show them how things are done here.

Their first big lock was full of commercials jostling for position, not an easy start for them. This one, though deep, was far less fraught.

Stuck in Walloon

Thought it would be a great idea to have a pre-season trip now the ice has gone.

Leaving Tournai, the little canal de l'Espierres looked like respite from the buffeting of the 'big stuff' so we turned off the main channel and this was as far as we got!

Six hours later a 1500ton vessel bravely managed to get near enough to proffer a rope and pull us off.