Really in 'Holland' now

To start with, a picture of our meal with Marinus and Ike a few days ago in Franeker. Ike is a wonderful cook and always dishes up something we do not do ourselves. This time it was a typical Dutch dish: 'Raasdonders'. Don't know the English word for it, its a sort of pea, eaten with bacon.

Marinus was also helpful in taking a lot of paint and associated stuff of our hands and getting a lightbulb for the searchlight. Thanks Marinus!


Up till yesterday, we were in Friesland, but now we are in 'Holland' proper.
We crossed the IJsselmeer in beautiful windless conditions. The new self steering worked beautifully, but then in windless conditions its not a very difficult test!
Here is a picture of the replacement in progress:

And here is the finished product (well, thats the bit you can see, the computer, the compass, the steering pump and the rudder indicator are not that visible).

On our way over the IJsselmeer, we came past the Marken lighthouse, a well known landmark which we had not seem for two seasons.

Currently, we are in Weesp, we'll see our friends Michael and Annemieke today. Tomorrow we hope to see Hoyte and Carien and afterwards we start moving towards Leiden to see my cousin Barend. This is 'friends and family week'!