Holland really does have windmills
And wooden shoes, and giant wheels of cheese… sometimes I’m almost shocked when confronted with stereotypical cultural icons in a country. Like part of me expects them not to really exist or something, except in a synthetic format marketed to tourists. And yes, there’s plenty of that in the Netherlands, too.
But it is possible to see glimpses of the real thing as a tourist, even though the presence of a whole lot of other tourists might make the experience seem less authentic. For example, the Kinderdijk area is the perfect place to see good old-fashioned Dutch windmills. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is spread out over several kilometers: a low, flat plane speckled with 19 gorgeously picturesque windmills built around 1740.
One of the windmills is open to tourists (for a small entry fee). The living space inside is nicely preserved and presented. I found the interior to be surprisingly spacious. For opening times and other details, see the Kinderdijk website.
Photo credit: personal collection.
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