Summer Holiday in Medemblik, Holland

Last week, we had a lovely week's holiday in Medemblik in Holland. It was brilliant.

Kezia on the plane - she was super excited!

Have Pillow Pet, Will Travel.....arriving at Schiphol airport.

A lunchtime stop in Hoorn on the way from the airport.

Just as we were arriving at Medemblik, we saw the steam train coming in from Hoorn (we had come by bus).

We're here!

There were two beaches hardly any distance away - this was on the nearest one. "Run Free With The Herd!"

On the second, bigger beach about 100 yards further on - much more space for running around!

Our holiday house - this is the view from the lounge.

Kezia going down to our decking early in the morning. It really was a lovely, peaceful spot.

Our home from home for the week - "Bungalow" number 116.

We hired bikes for the day twice while we were away. The first time we spent the day exploring the town.

Kezia waiting for the bridge to close.

The statue which was made to celebrate 700 years of Medemblik being a town (1289-1989)

Our next stop was at the Medemblik windmill. Kezia is quite a dab hand with a camera these days.

Normally the sails would have been turning on the day we visited, but the miller was on holiday.

Kezia spent quite some time trying to persuade the windmill goat to come out of its hut.....

....and at last, out it came!

The windmill itself.

It was 'Water Festival' weekend in Medemblik. Kezia had fun firing this high-powered hose at a row of wooden targets (you can just about spot her!)

Breakfast in the garden. Lovely.

Part of the shoreline was quite marshy and we had to pick our way carefully along it.

Down by the seaside (well, sort of....the IJsselmeer is really just a giant lake.)

This wind.....plays havoc with my hair!

Don't fall in!

Pretending to play football at the local park (!) Needless to say, according to Kezia, she scored with her shot and saved mine!

Kezia in the crow's nest at the 'Jake & The Neverland Pirates' park.

One local resident had a model cow in their garden. The next time we walked past, it had moved. Very disconcerting!

At the children's zoo in Medemblik. They had alpacas, goats, sheep, chickens and a very fat 'kune kune' pig that you can see snuffling about in the background.

One day we went to Radboud Castle. It was very small, but the tour round it was excellent.

Kezia had great fun following a series of clues on a treasure hunt, which gave her a code to open a treasure chest. She got a certificate at the end.

At the castle gates.

Well and truly stuck!

Kezia, the Queen of Radboud Castle.

The girls enjoying the holiday at Medemblik steam train station. Love this photo!

In a sort of museum-type baggage room at the steam train station.

On the Tuesday, we went on a trip along the IJsselmeer coast from Medemblik to Enkhuizen. It was great fun.

A couple of landlubbers about to set off on the voyage.

An excited Kezia up on deck. It was about two seconds after this that there was a loud blast on the horn to say we were setting off, and we all jumped out of our skins!

The view from the bridge. The captain let Kezia in to have a look.

The boat trip took about an hour and a half, and we had every sort of weather. My new raincoat certainly came in handy!

Pulling in at the Zuider Zee museum at Enkhuizen, just before the boat journey ended.

A pretty street in the town of Hoorn on the way home from our boat trip. We stopped for tea here, and Kezia won a prize at the fairground!

A lovely cafe terrace in the middle of town - we went here twice.

The bridge in the middle of Medemblik. It opened and closed every few minutes to let boats through.

Feeding the sparrows on the decking. Kezia loved doing this!

Holiday in Holland 2013

Last week we had a wonderful holiday in Medemblik in Holland. We have loads of photos to post - 66 have made the cut for the blog - here are just the first 18, although of course chronologically they are the last 18. The rest will follow in the next couple of days.

We hired bikes for a second time on the day before we came home. We cycled a few miles south to Wervershoof. It poured with rain for a couple of hours, but we dried out in a nice warm cafe.

Sheltering from the rain!

The bikes, the statue and the drizzle!

The girls looking at some very soggy horses on the way back from Wervershoof. Still raining!