Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
gigantic millstones rolling over the colored dust again and again,
as wooden chutes keep it on its path. Climb the steep steps (prac-
tically a ladder) for a closer look at the wooden gears, and the
fine views out over the museum grounds (March-Oct Tue-Sun
9:00-17:00, closed Mon). De Zoeker (“The Seeker”) crushes oil
from seeds and nuts, a drop at a time—up to an incredible 100
quarts per day (March-Oct daily 9:30-16:30). Other mills may
also be open for your visit. If deciding which mill to visit, choose
one that's spinning—you'll see more action inside. While these
structures appear graceful, and even whimsical from the outside,
on a windy day you can really experience the awesome power of
the mills by getting up close to their grinding gears.
• After exploring the windmills, cross the little canal to the big...
D e C a t h a r i n a H o e v e C h e e s e Fa r m ( K a a s m a k e r i j ) —Essentially
a giant cheese shop, this is worthwhile only if you catch one of their
presentations. A movie shows how cheese is made, and periodically
a costumed Dutch maiden explains the process in person (about
five quarts of milk are used to make about a pound of cheese) and
dispenses samples...followed by a confident sales pitch (free entry,
daily 8:00-18:00).
• Walk past the mini-windmill to a shopping zone, which includes the...
Wooden Shoe Workshop (Klompenmakerij) —More engag-
ing than the park's other free attractions, this shoe store fea-
tures a well-presented display of clogs from different regions of
the Netherlands. You'll see how clogs were adapted for various
purposes, including wooden clogs with boot-like leather to the
knee, frilly decorative clogs for weddings, and spiky clogs for ice
fishing. Watch the videos, and try to catch the live demonstra-
tion that sends wood chips flying as a machine carves a shoe. Your
visit ends—where else?—in the vast clog shop (free entry, daily
8:00-18:00).
• Nearby is the huge De Kraai restaurant (see “Eating,” opposite page),
and just across the big parking lot is the final attraction, the...
s Zaanse Museum —This museum, whose modern structure
evokes both the hull of a ship and the curved body of a whale, is
the focal point of the complex. In addition to housing the Visitors
Center, it has a fresh, modern multimedia presentation that
explains Holland's industrial past and present with the help of a
fine included audioguide. The exhibit, with some English descrip-
tions, is thematically divided into four parts: life, work, wind, and
water (€4.50, Tue-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 12:00-17:00, closed Mon,
tel. 075/616-2862). In 2009, a new exhibit dedicated to the Verkade
candy company (a local favorite) is planned to open adjacent to the
museum.
 
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