The other day - 17 days ago to be exact - I decided to go for a sailing trip. Fortunately I know these people owning a boat and touring through my little country. Mostly they sail through small rivers and many of the little lakes and canals we have.

Oudewater, I had to be 16 days ago exactly. "Oudewater? Were the hxll is that?", I thought. Fortunately we have Google. Maps told me it was just under Utrecht (guess by now you can tell what country I live in?); 45 minutes drive; Well, 55 minutes with my car; Not being to most fastest version around, or is it simply my own driving style?.

Anyways...

Saturday - 16 days ago - sometime in early afternoon I jumped into my car and within an hour I arrived at this little village (well, compared to an average city, actually a 'super tiny' village...oops, it received city rights a long long long time ago, so it is actually a mini city...but more about that in my next article).

Parked my car at the end of the road, and found myself walking the grass alongside this beautiful little canal (named Hollandse IJssel) to reach my point of destination.

My home for the weekend was this 13 meter yacht with the folks at the back of the boat. Not sure why they try to hide from the photo... orrrrr is the photo simply to small?

Our neighbours on the right side... Oops, need to talk skipper language... Our neighbours on starboard side. Definitely a house I could live in! You?

The view from the back of the boat; Such a quiet spot we were at! A farmers building to the far right, but no sounds and no cow or whatever animal smell from that direction...Perfect!

The view to the other side, still from back of the boat as you can see. More quietness... ok ok a little (well little?) house to the far left, but they were super quiet as well.

The view to the left side. Oops, doing it again: the view from the port side, obviously. Even more quiet, nothing but nature... I was in for a weekend of quietness with here and there some birds singing and a lost fly and mosquito trying to discomfort us.

Fast forward...

Less then 18:10 hours after I embarked the boat, we were heading for the mini city of Oudewater passing some beautiful spots; Like this bridge. Closed most of the time, but when some boat likes to pass through, it'll open.

The city emerging... Well, just a church (one of many as you'll see in my next article) indicating that we were getting close.

A factory... Since it looked quite ok, it'll probably still operate. No idea what they are manufacturing, but someone told me this could be something to do with boats. The big door at water side of the building suggests it may be big parts they ship over water with a barge or something like that.

WOW! These guys are at an even better spot with a great taste! Such a lovely boat! One that was used for transporting cargo a long long time ago, and now for recreational use only. Direct view at the factory (must be a monumental building, am sure it is more than a 100 years old). And to the other side they have the view of the church you've seen above.

AHOY