After Amsterdam, we drove to another small town, this one called Hoogersmilde. Our rental house is inside of a state park and has a huge backyard, but in the Netherlands, they call backyards gardens! Anyway, it has two tree houses, a trampoline, and plenty of extra space! Also, the neighbors have ponies. We have seen to many horses to count around here!Â
Friesland
On one of our days in Hoogersmilde, we drove to Friesland and met the adults first cousin once removed and second cousin and the kids first cousin twice removed and second cousin once removed. Their names are Thede(same as my grandpa) and Rendert. Thede showed us the place my great-grandfather and great-grandmother had a butcher's shop!
Tour of a windmillÂ
Right next to the butcher's shop, we saw a moving windmill. When we walked over too it, we saw that it was no longer in use but had been converted into a museum. We went inside, and a tour of the inside is provided below.
OUTSIDE/LEVEL 4
INSIDE/LEVEL 4
Inside of the fourth level, there was a man making windmill models. He had about ten and was still working on another.Â
LEVEL 5
Level five had two moving gears and some old farm tools. Although the windmill was not in use, they still let it turn, so we had to be careful not to get caught in the gears.Â
LEVEL 6
Level 6 had more moving gears, and the guide showed us how the brake system worked. It consisted of two stones tightening around a thin piece of wood.
LEVEL 7
Level seven was the highest level. It was very cramped and there were even more gears.
LEVEL 3
Level 3 was one of the owners private seashell and rock collection. They had lots, and even some that were carved on the inside.Â
LEVELS 1/2
Levels one/two were a gift shop and art studio(witch is weird).
The Old Chuch
After the windmill, we drove to the town my great grandmother was born in. We climbed a church tower that had been raided by Napoleon and saw graffiti from his soldiers and how the old clock worked.
After climbing back down the tower, we went to the cemetery and I found my great-great-great-grandfather's grave! We also found two other distantly related graves.
