We headed off the commercial waterways for the Biesbosch, an area of lakes and islands that had been too busy with cruisers when we had come this way earlier in the summer. Now it was blissfully deserted.

Just a reminder of how big the 'big stuff' can be. This German ship overtook us on the Nieue Maas, part of the River Meuse when we left Dodrecht.

Dordrecht was another lovely old town. We were shown around by Gerrit, a trad.sailing boater we'd met earlier in the year, who lives here. In return skipper suggested Belgian beers he might like to try at the specialist cafe we ended at. A great day, thanks Gerrit.

Dordrecht from their church tower. The big waterway, the Noord, ends in the busiest commercial junction in Europe, if not the world. When we negotiated it, there was not a ship to be seen. It was strangely disappointing.

Dordrecht was our next stop. We blithely Snailed in to their historic harbour, the bridge was lifted and our unusual boat was warmly welcomed to stay as long as we wanted. So much better than the unsuitable yachthaven which is often the only option.

Leaving Rotterdam, these little loves really stirred things up. They and their like make far more chop than the biggest of the 'big stuff'.

The new and the old. One old harbour and windmill in Rotterdam survived the bombs. It is a delightful place to wander around, especially as there is a small brewery here! The church on the far bank is where the Pilgrim Father's left on their way to England and then America.

We leave Gouda and catch up with friends in Rotterdam. The Museum Haven lines the opposite bank in front of our mooring. It is atmospherically lit at night. Rotterdam is proving to be a very special city.

Well, it is Gouda.

This is the old tollhouse at a now disused lock in Gouda. Judging by its size and splendour, there is nothing new in the concept of high taxation.

Gouda, in common with other Dutch towns, adorns its bridges with flowers. The Dutch love of flowers is shown in the popular and regular flower markets. You know there's one happening around the next corner when wobbling bicylists pass, trying to balance great masses of blooms that are headed for home.

Gouda was as famous for its clay pipemaking as its cheese and this beautiful building used to be a factory. The last traditional pipemaker in Gouda closed his doors for the last time a few months ago.

More stonework but brightly painted and well restored. This was the old people's home in 1614.

Amused by this little fellow. Many of Holland's old houses and bridges are adorned with stone ornamentation. Often they told passersby what trade or merchandise was on offer inside. We wondered what this merchant had traded in.

Too narrow by far for Snail but these medieval canals turn out to be do-able in our flexible Origami. It didn't say you couldn't as in Delft, so we did. Ancient Gouda towered up at us from down there and passersby looked amused as we squeezed through.

Gouda's flamboyant gothic stadthuis is one of many interesting buildings flanking the enormous market place here.

If anyone can tell us the story behind this amazing sculpture in Gouda, we'd love to hear it.

There are as many lift bridges as windmills on the Dutch waterways, all worked for you ofcourse. This on the entrance to Gouda's mooring.

Icing on your windmill sir?

Wrapped for Xmas, this is Gouda's offering.

More leaning buildings at Oudewater.

Famous for its lenient treatment of witches in the 17th century, where all the accused women brought to their court were discharged. They weighed the accused and issued certificates that 'proved' the weight was inconsistent with being a witch.

Many women came to Oudewater voluntarily as the certificate was valid for life and prevented their husbands using this method as a way of getting rid of them!

Some of the canals in Utrecht were too small and we moored Snail just out of town.

Skipper hoped there would be enough width to turn in when we came to leave as negotiating Utrecht's bendy canals in reverse didn't bear thinking about. A hire boat stopped to photograph our efforts. We certainly gave them a spectacle.It involved much churning of mud and a bow mounting the bank but we made it. Phew!

Utrecht's abbey church sprouted fun and fanciful gargoyles.

And this is what the lockkeeper was worrried about - a tunnel with a sharp bend in it that would take us under the town hall.

Subterranean cafes and artists' workshops line both sides of these canals, stretching back under the road and the shops above them.

Reminiscent of English canals, the waterways through Utrecht seemed made for Snail. The Utrecht lockkeeper thought otherwise, advising us that we'd probably not get through further up where it was narrow and bendy. Having seen the Nick Sanders video we knew it would be ok. He had taken a breasted pair of narrowboats through these canals several years before.

The Vecht ends in the ancient town of Utrecht. This striking lift bridge was our introduction to some intriguing waterways. As with most towns, the urban sprawl has to be put behind you first.

The work of a Dutch spider reminding us it's autumn now.

The capabilities of the camera on our mobile phone constantly amaze.

That can't be a narrowboat surely? A 'widebeam' brought over from the UK by its Dutch owners and now used as a trip boat on the Vecht. It's for sale and we were tempted.....

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.