Monday 5 August 2013

Our World Tuesday, ABC Wednesday, D for Dijk or Dike

A typically Dutch polder.

A typically Dutch sky!
 These photos are taken by my Dutch daughter . It shows where we live behind a dike. Most houses are built on the landside of the dike, but there are also people who prefer to live on the dike itself, with the garden adjoining the river. This is not such a good idea, because it had happened in the past that these gardens were flooded and the lower  part of the houses as well.
This dike protects the polder against floods.

 A polder is a low-lying piece of land surrounded by dikes. The water in the polder will be pumped away into a river, and the river flows into the sea. Pumping was done by windmills in the past now we have electric pumping engines.

All photos can be enlarged if you want to see more details. Just click on them.

I live quite near the windmills. If you enlarge the second photo you can see one of the twenty mills in the distance. They only don't pump anymore, for there is not always wind and then the polder will be flooded.We live below sealevel so a pump is needed. The mills can work if there is no electricity and enough wind. I have written many times about the mills. They are very beautiful.




A pumpingstation keeping the polders dry



Welcome to Our World Tuesday! This meme continues in memory of the work of Klaus Peter, whose "that's My World" brought people together from around the world every Monday to share the wonders therein--big and small.Please click on our  logo for "Our World Tuesday" in the sidebar. Thanks to the team of "Our World Tuesday": Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.  I wish everyone a happy week!
I link Our World Tuesday and ABC Wednesday. Because I live here!


With thanks to Denise Nesbitt,  who created ABC, and Roger, who took over from her. For more interesting ABC posts click on the logo in the sidebar. This week we are looking for words beginning with D.




Some people live on a houseboat




These houses are built on the landside of the dike.


Many people own boats




These houses are very old, but charming!


40 comments:

Leslie: said...

These are gorgeous photos. It must be like a dream to live there.

Leslie
abcw team

Sylvia K said...

Incredible, wonderful captures for the day, Wil!! Such a beautiful place to live! Thank you as always for sharing your world with us!! Hope you have a great new week!

Sylvia

Cloudia said...

Amazing country, Wil!


ALOHA from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
~ > < } } ( ° > <3

Hildred said...

Beautiful photos, and you told me many new things - I didn't know that windmills had been replaced by electric pumps, or that the land beside the dike is called a polder. Charles and I were in Njimagen for a while in 1995, visiting the cemetery at Grosbeek where one of his brothers lies, and I did enjoy our drive through Holland.

Arkansas Patti said...

It is very interesting to see how clever the Dutch were to tame what looks to be an untameable land and make it productive.
I always learn here. Thank you.

Roger Owen Green said...

I've always been fascinated by dikes.

ROG, ABCW

Anonymous said...

Beautiful photos, and interest to know about the dikes!

The Weaver of Grass said...

You are absolutely right Wil, these photographs could not be of anywhere other than Holland. They are lovely.

Unknown said...

Great tour and beautiful skies!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.

Fun60 said...

A really interesting post. I am assuming that floods rarely happen with the water being pumped out to the rivers. Holland has such a unique landscape. Thanks for sharing it.

Karen said...

Such an interesting landscape! Living on a houseboat would solve the problem when it floods!

Cynthia said...

I was wondering where the windmills were. Gone to electric pumps! Too bad. Many interesting and lovely pictures of your area.

eileeninmd said...

They are all charming houses. The houseboat is cool too. Thanks for sharing your world. Wonderful photos.

Kay said...

I so enjoyed seeing your photos, Wil. It brought back such lovely memories. The Netherlands is such an interesting place and so different from my own area.

Rune Eide said...

Very nest advertising for the rural Netherlands! Though I must admit reading about the 1953 flooding (I was too small at the time to appreciate such things) has always scared me.

Carver said...

Wonderful shots. The sky and scenery are very beautiful. Carver, ABC Wed. Team

photowannabe said...

Charming..
Windmills seem magical to me.
Thank you for the explanation of what a polder is.
You live in such a beautiful place.
Loved your introduction on the link page too.

MERYL JAFFE, PhD - parent, psychologist, teacher, author... said...

Great photos, although I found the first few particularly fascinating - they almost looked like paintings!
Have great week.

Lea said...

A fascinating look into your world.
Have a great day!
Lea
Lea's Menagerie

Hazel said...

I love the Dutch skies. And what a beautiful Dutch countryside!

Hazel

Jama said...

Thanks for sharing the facts about dike, and the beautiful surrounding there.

Unknown said...

What a pleasant day we had with you in Kinderdijk! So indiginous to the Dutch way of life and culture!

lotusleaf said...

Wonderful pictures. Dear to me as my daughter has just come back from a holiday in Amsterdam, and is full of its delights.

Nanka said...

Amazing place so peaceful and serene!! Gorgeous photos and enjoyed the virtual walkabout through your place!!

Gerald (SK14) said...

Great Dutch scenes - you asked how I always managed to come up with a letter each week - sometimes I have ideas weeks ahead but this week I didn't have anything for D so on Tuesday I knew I had to do something so when I popped out to collect some lunch from the Hot Crumpet took a quick photo on my phone of Dowson Road.

Nanka said...

This is in reply to your comment on my blog for Letter D !!
The areas shown there are all a short distance away from where I live but walkable too, a brisk 20 mins!! No distance here in Mumbai is too far as it is just a tiny island, easily accessible by trains, buses cabs and now very soon Metro and Monorail too!! Lakhs of people use it everyday!! The frequency of all these means of transport is simply amazing and it is like 'seeing is believing' for an outsider/tourist.

aspiritofsimplicity said...

So interesting. That is someplace I would surely like to visit one day

Ann said...

Living on the dike would make me nervous!! It is certainly a breath taking view you have.
Ann

Suzanne said...

This is so interesting and what a beautiful landscape this is. Thank you for showing your world to us.

magiceye said...

Beautiful captures of the countryside

Anonymous said...

Wonderful post for D! Full of beauty and interesting facts, I learned about the correct terms for parts of a Dike system!

Oakland Daily Photo said...

A similar situation exists along the American River which runs through our state capital, Sacramento. People live behind dikes below the river. But I fear the dikes are not in nearly as good condition as yours. Excellent D.

Arnoldo L. Romero, MLA said...

Everything looks so quaint and green. Thanks for sharing these wonderful photographs. Blessings!

Pride In Photos Beauty said...

OH yes, you nailed it on the head...the houses are very quaint and precious...DARLING!

Linnea said...

I remember driving through the Dutch countryside and thinking how beautiful and clean everything looked. Just like those photos! Lovely scenes. Thanks for stopping by my ABC!

Reader Wil said...

Hi Hazel, I am so sorry that I can't find your blog. Thank you for your comments. I appreciate this.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

My friend's mum is a Dutch, and se doesn't know the story that I associate Holland with, The story with his finger in the dike which you have already told me that it doesn't exist.

Kalyan Panja said...

simply beautifully captured shots...lovely!

MJ said...

Oh my, how so gorgeous it is there. What a beautiful area. It is a wonder how some continue to build along waterways knowing all the while that it is imminent that it only takes one rainy season to flood the area. It happens often in this province as well. That is why new rules have been enacted to not support certain insurances to those that continue to build homes on these lands. A very nice post. I hope you are doing well..♥

Suzy said...

Very interesting post and lovely pics. Yes I could see the windmill in the second picture.