THE YACHTS OF VOLENDAM

There is something incredibly charming about fishing villages. Be it in Europe or anywhere else in the world. Possibly due to the presence of the sea so close...and the  rituals of the sea, the fishermen are so adept at. The aspirations of the morning and the catch of the day...and the songs of the sea...of the calmness and the turbulence. 

Volendam is one such fishing village, located in Northern Netherlands about thirty minutes drive from the Amsterdam central by bus... there are a plenty of them from Amsterdam Central. The village is located on the lake IJsselmeer, the largest lake in the Netherlands.  Vollendam means a "filled dam" and that is how it had started by filling an existing harbor and reclaiming the land artificially during the fourteenth century. A separate smaller canal and a new harbor was dug and this how this village was created. During the first half of twentieth century, as a part of the Dutch water management exercise, the water-body, which otherwise was a  part of the Zuiderzee (South Sea) was separated  by an artificial dyke named Afsluitdijk. Rivers including many dis tributaries of the Rhine continued to drain into this lake and the original salt water of the sea was diluted.

This village, also referred to as the Pearl of the Zuiderzee, is a real Dutch treat with hundreds of fishing yachts and boats arranged in the harbor. The medieval neighborhood, typical red tiled old fisherman-homes and a maze of lanes in the background of the yachts have been an age old trademark view attracting  many leading artists including Picasso to visit and get inspired. In fact, the Hotel Spaander where the artistes used to assemble is still functional and active. The artists, those days, were allowed to pay for their rooms and food with their works of art and thus this hotel has a good collection of artworks. Volendam also is known for its singers and there are quite a few  Dutch singers of repute who owe their origins to this village.

One can still see locals, especially the older ones, wearing traditional Dutch costume.The local street food of the bustling harbor area, specially the fish dishes are amazing here and if you are a fish lover do not miss out on the varieties. If you don't like fish its fine too. You are in the Netherlands and can continue relishing the varieties of cheese, which are available in plenty. Volendam is not the only village in this region. On the banks of lake IJsselmeer sit some other pretty villages...most notably Marken, Edam and Monickendaam. If time permits and if you have the desire to experience different versions of Volendaam, then you know exactly what to do. These villages have their yachts too. 

This post is for alphabet ‘Y' of the #BlogchatterA2Z 2020 challenge:

Y for Yachts