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Under the Sea
It is well known that a large part of The Netherlands is below sea level – a quarter in fact – but you really don’t appreciate it until you stand on a dyke with the sea to your left and the country to the right. Here is a short clip which shows this height differential.
If any country is going to be prepared for sea level rises, it’s going to be The Netherlands.
After our stay in Hindeloopen we rode to Amsterdam – catching a ferry from Stavoren to Enkhuizen. The headwind was punishing, particularly in the open fields, with many choosing to catch the train for part of the journey. Fortunately the rain stayed away for most of the trip as we made our way to Amsterdam.
We knew we were approaching Amsterdam as the car traffic (and scooter traffic on cyclepaths…) was building. Interestingly most of the cars in the traffic jams had single occupants. The Dutch are no different to us but they have at least been given decent choice when it comes to transport.
Cycling in Amsterdam is a real treat. There are so many people cycling that we felt like small fish in a school, going with the flow. In the many hours spent cycling through the city we did not witness one collision – car, cyclist or pedestrian.
As a surprise, Paul had organised a fabulous lunch cruise along the canals of Amsterdam.
Actually, what you thought was the sea wasn’t the sea at all. That was the Ijsselmeer, a huge artificial lake, now of fresh water, which is itself some metres below sea level. It is separated from the sea by the Afsluitdijk. On the Afsluitdijk there is an obvious difference in level between one side of the dyke and the other, even though both sides are water.
Thanks for the updated information, David. I asked a local who told me that the ‘high’ water was connected to the sea beyond the wall but they are incorrect. Either way, it is mightily impressive!
Beautiful pictures Paul!
Good post. I was secretly hoping for this though: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgA2xo0HYrE
Sorry to disappoint!
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