So we packed, double checked our list, found enough room in and on the car for everything. Then on the road heading towards our destination. As in most places the summer vacation is almost over.
We saw the effects of that as we headed through and then out of Amsterdam. There was more than 10km of standstill traffic going into Amsterdam. We saw many caravans, campers, and cars loaded with gear we suspect heading home from a vacation.
We were speeding along in our fully packed car towards the afsluitdijk, a 30 km dike built to keep the sea out and connecting North Holland to Friesland. An engineering marvel and an incredible accomplishment.
We stopped at the halfway point and took pictures, drank a cup of coffee and then headed on our route towards our camping location for the next seven days.
Judging The Netherlands by only visiting Amsterdam is sad as this land has so much to experience. This drive to the North was filled with flat country landscapes, dairy and sheep farms. Farmers harvesting crops like hay and cauliflower. Small villages dot the landscapes with houses that look so different from the ones close to Amsterdam.
Soon we were across another dike and lock system into the area where we have rented a cabin for a week.
The cabin sits in the National Park Lauwersmeer. A major bird migration route with that plenty of canoe water to explore.
Our first day we just settled into our lodging and enjoyed the views.
©️ The Cedar Journal, 2019, all rights reserved
The Cedar Journal 
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Any sense of how the afsluitdijk will fare with 10 – 20 feet of sea level rise? Although it will be meters there, won’t it!
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Knowing the Dutch they have a plan for it. They don’t do crisis management they actually plan for the future. Then they invest in the infrastructure. I guess some countries could learn a few lessons from the Dutch if they cared to listen.
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Travelling in the off-season’ is also our preferred way of going on vacation. I am sure you will enjoy the peaceful and relaxing time in and around the cabin.
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Already relaxing. Had a wonderful paddle this morning. Right now it is crazy busy at this beach due to the temperature being 30C
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You look nice and relaxed but I’d be worried about the couple in black starring at you
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Funny
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Funny, I didn’t even see those people until you mentioned them. Maybe they were sent to keep an eye on me. LOL
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Seeing this vehicle traffic surprised me as you’ve never shown such congestion and so I thought perhaps none exists. What was I thinking?
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Each day in the Netherlands is hundreds of miles of stand still traffic during rush hour. For the August time when everyone is on summer vacation it happens mostly when everyone exits the country on vacation and then when they return. We try not to be on the roadways at rush hour or at these times.
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I can feel the sense of freedom and adventure building:)
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It has been fun so far. Hot as heck for here 32C for last few days.
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Nothing says a relaxing day more than sunsets or sunrises in shades. Enjoy these days, the cold months are just on the horizon back in the States – but first we are going to get some cleaning from Dorian based on what I am starting to hear.
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Get that storm gone before I arrive. I will be tenting in Northern MN first week of Oct. I get the feeling I could be using my wool layers.
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