Daylight returns and we are not so alone as we thought. Houseboats are common in the Netherlands. Every 5 years they are taken out of the water to have their bottoms inspected, unless you coat them in concrete, then you're exempt.

Sunset alert!!

Free 'moorings' on the Vecht consist of poles set in the water several feet from the bank. Or you simply stop and put out an anchor.

Woody's last of the day toilet requirements meant going off in Origami.

The River Vecht was of strategic importance to Napoleon who ordered a network of forts to be built.

We took Origami over the river from where we'd moored Snail to get to this. When we returned to little Origami, a waterways policeman was giving her a parking ticket!!

Even Woody looks bored with windmills. The River Vecht, quite exclusive but lovely to boat on.

The delightfully named town of Weesp, just out of Amsterdam on the way to the river Vecht.

Unfortunately the moorings were very expensive along the entire length of the town's waterfront so we pushed on.

A green waterway in the city. Amsterdam was full of surprises.

Amsterdam has many small canals around and through the city and they are open to boats. Origami was put to good use as we spent a day exploring.

Yes,these buildings lean as well. Most of the period properties here do. No-one seems alarmed, it's normal.

They all have hoists from the top storey for the removal of furniture. The more ornate the plasterwork, the wealthier the owner was. And some are very ornate.

Here we are in the centre of Amsterdam for the princely sum of 21euros for 3 nights. The theatre goers come over to talk in the interval. It's all very sociable.We feel very priviledged to be on such a choice mooring.

Convergence of the old and the new again.The blue structure is Nemo, the giant ventilation shaft for the tunnel under the waterway in Amsterdam. It doubles as a children's science centre and a rooftop cafe. The views of Amsterdam are worth the climb to the top.

More terrifying scenes, this time in Amsterdam. Passing commercials and speeding tripboats must have added to their experience.

Passed this terrifying lifeboat training school on the way to Amsterdam. But what do they use the Eiffel Tower for??

Another lovely sunset, this time on Aarlesmeer

Invited for a sail on the Aarlesmeer in our friends' beautiful old boat. One of the great experiences of the year. Thanks, Martin and Monique.

Another of those wide, open waterways. This is Aarlesmeer, near Amsterdam. We had been invited to meet up with boaters we had met earlier in the year, one of whom had made this lovely little wooden sailing boat.

Pisa has nothing on Holland. Houses lean all over the place. This is a common example.

Once you've found your island, it's a blissful mooring. Often we had the entire island to ourselves and the sunsets were stunning. Except...when the sun had finally gone down, there remained an orange glow lighting up the far horizon. It came from acres and acres of heated greenhouses, cultivating the bulbs that Holland is so famous for.

There are many wide open waterways with islands dotted around them to moor onto all over the Netherlands. This is Kagerplassen. Because of the watery expanse, it is often a choppy ride.

They take their environmental responsibilities seriously here. This house was almost entirely covered in solar panels.

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.