Cute Towns and Mighty Delta Works in Holland

When I research my guidebooks, almost by definition, I am always visiting and revisiting the same places. But I also like to take a few days here and there to scout out new places — both for future editions of the guidebooks and for future TV scripts. In the last month, I’ve visited lots of great places for the first time (or, at least, my first time to do research): Leipzig, Wittenberg, Erfurt, Hamburg, Antwerp, Ghent, and the lush lowlands of Holland.

Taking a couple of days to get away from Amsterdam, I enjoyed touring the Dutch countryside. I spent one day visiting the famous Dutch tourist trap towns. My take: Alkmaar — famous for its cheese market and cute…but not cute enough. Edam — full of history, charm, great hotels, and ambience. I love it. Volendam — grotesquely touristic…mix Killarney and Coney Island and then drizzle with herring juice. Marken — on every tourist map, but much less visited because of its relatively remote location (at the end of a five-mile-long manmade jetty). Rounding out my Dutch countryside experience were visits to the city of Delft and the Delta Works. Here are a few photos of places that left me with powerful impressions.

Reflecting on Canal Lilies I found canals with reflections that would get Monet to set up his easel. Here in Delft, the entire town was twinkling and rippling like water lilies.

Marken Is Good Cute Marken is a former island, left partially high and dry by the draining of the inland sea but still accessible by ferry. It’s quiet, perfectly quaint, and well-preserved, but not annoyingly crowded like Volendam. Here’s a great day out from Amsterdam: Catch a train with your bike to Edam and enjoy that town for the morning. Roll through the countryside to Volendam, where you’ll catch the ferry to Marken. Enjoy a break there before pedaling along the jetty and through the polder land back to Amsterdam.

Delta Works Needs More I was excited to see the mighty Delta Works, where the delta of the great rivers that dump into the sea after cutting through the Netherlands are controlled for floods. I assumed there would be an equally mighty visitors’ center…but there was nothing exceptional for the independent traveler to see.

Just like the rubble of Roman ruins, modern engineering marvels can fall flat — unless an enlightening tour by a passionate expert brings them to life. For just that reason, the Delta Works is a huge hit on Day 6 of our “Heart of Belgium & Holland in 11 Days” guided tour. If you’d like to experience this corner of Europe with the advantages of a small group and an expert guide, follow this link: http://tours.ricksteves.com/tours/france-holland-belgium/belgium-holland.