Goodmorning dear readers, deskers and everybody new.
It’s another Wednesday; the day I join the “What’s On My Workdesk Wednesday” tribe over at Julia and post a picture of my desk to show you what I’m up to. I took this photo and wrote – and scheduled – this post yesterday because I have an early appointment this morning. I promised to post the photos of a “tourist tour” I made though my city and that’s what this is: a picture overload post. If you are here just to see my workdesk, don’t feel obligated to read/look at all the photos – you can just skip the ‘tourist walk’ part of the post, I really don’t mind.
So here’s what my desk looked on Tuesday afternoon
A tourist walk through Middelburg
It’s been four years ago that my beloved and I moved to Middelburg – a little town on the peninsula I was born (“Walcheren.”) However, due to certain circumstances we lived in a large apartment block on the outskirts of the city and I never really felt part of this town. But now we found a lovely, new, quiet little appartment in the centre of the city and I wake up every morning with a big smile on my face ever since we moved here!
The beautiful Summer-weather that we experienced in the Netherlands during the last week made that celebrating feeling even stronger and I decided to go for a long “tourist walk” and take my camera with me, to let you be part of the new neighbourhood I live in now. Middelburg is one hell of a cute town you know, and we get lots of tourists overhere during the Summer months so I didn’t stand out walking around in my Summer skirt, wearing my new (mirror)sunglasses having a big photocamera around my neck (althoug… photocamera? Who takes photos with a camera anymore?)
First, a little information
Middelburg, the capital of the province of Zeeland, is a small and quiet city with an estimate of 47,000 in population and is surrounded by canals and a star-shaped ring of ‘grachten’. It is also one of the oldest towns in the Netherlands. [www.wikipedia.com]
Photo: www.aerophotostock.com
Now let’s go for a walk….
When I start my walk I find myself in a little back alley and it has such a cute little gate at the end… the Pauwpoort (“Peacock gate”)
Going through that gate, I step onto the Damplein (dam square), adjacent to the Dam and the Prins Hendrikdok. The traces of a rich trading history are still abundantly present. Here you will find more than 50 national monuments. (www.uitinmiddelburg.nl)
The sun is shining, the sky is blue and I decide to walk along the shadow-side of the quay to get to the Kuiperspoort. This is the most picturesque area in the city. It is home to the most scenic and breathtaking brick architecture in town. (www.netherlands-tourism.com)
After a stroll through the backstreets I end up at the small marina. In the Summer this marina is chock full with boats! From small recreational boats to large yachts that costs a fortune… it’s always fun to sit on a bench ‘watching the ships roll in’. There’s also this picturesque bridge – Spijkerbrug – build in 1853. This small bridge connects the two quays on each side of the small channel.
From the marina I walk along the quays to the city centre – the market square – where I play my roll as a tourist quite well by buying an icecream while I admire the late-gothic town hall of Middelburg. The town hall is considered one of the finest gothic buildings in the Netherlands. Whereas the town hall itself is still used for weddings, since 2004 its spaces are in use by the Roosevelt Academy, the local college. The former meat hall has been in use as an exhibition space (www.wikipedia.org)
I showed you photo’s of de Lange Jan (“Long John” or “Tall John”, as the tourism-website translates it) before… this big church is part of Onze-Lieve-Vrouw Abdij (Our Dear Lady Abbey) – an abbey compound which has – besides this 207-step tower – two churches and the Zeeland Museum (www.netherlands-tourism.com/middelburg)
I live almost at the feet of Tall John and its carillon (chimes) sings to me all day long. Right now, its bells play “She’s Always A Woman To Me” – Billy Joel on half hours. I have not identified the melody it plays on the hours yet.
Can you tell I’m in love with Tall John?
Here’s another pic!
I hope you enjoyed this walk through the hotspots of the city – I plan on taking my camera more often and photograph lesser-known places of the city every now and then.
Edited August 2018: I received a lovely email from ‘Bookmundi’ who got inspired by my ‘tourist blogposts’ to write an awesome guide (CLICK) on the Netherlands, it’s worth a read if you’re planning to visit The Netherlands.
Thanks for stopping by my blog today, see you again soon!
Wow! No wonder you walk around with a smile on your face, what a beautiful place to live! Thank you for sharing the photos. Your desk looks pretty good, too! Happy WOYWW Helen #2
Your desk looks so inviting with all that space to move around and add a little more, my main area is a shameful mountain which I do plan on giving a make over once i’ve finished the latest run of unfinished projects (Fingers crossed.)
Really enjoyed you beautiful photographs, made me feel like a tourist taking in the stunning scenery. Tall John stands so proud, how could you not be smitten with him..
Happy WOYWW..
Wishing you sunshine & plenty of creativity Tracey #5
I can see why you love living where you do Marit; it’s a beautiful place. Glad you are well settled in the new appartment. Happy WOYWW. Sarah #20
Well Marit, how interesting. What a beautiful place Middelburg is, the star shape of the canal is amazing, the most attractive ‘border’ for a town centre! Lovely architecture; and all within some gentle walking of your new home, how lovely.
I always love how you label everything I’m looking at on your desk. Always fun to see if I’ve missed anything.
I really enjoyed my walk around Middleburg, but had to do an internet search on grachten. It looks like the canals were dug into that star pattern. It’s a beautiful city, and I enjoyed the photos.
Happy WOYWW from #3.
A beautiful city and so happy you found a better living space.
What a great WOYWW #466. Have a great week xx Jan 22
Hi Marit, loved all your photos. What a pretty town you live in. we are visiting the Netherlands for a week in September, so it’s so nice to see some scenery beforehand. Have a lovely week, Hugs, Shaz #9 XxX
Lovely hometown you live in, so clean. Yes I still use my camera like the settings that you can’t get with a mobile. Ani#1
Leuk om je work in progress pagina’s te zien. Heerlijk om toerist in eigen stad te spelen. En wat is het toch zo’n mooie vestingsstad waar je woont! Dank je voor het delen! Have a splendid week! xo Cheetarah #28
Thank you so much for taking us on a tour of your beautiful and historica town, I enjoyed it so much! I’m ashamed to say that I have never heard of Middelburg before so I have learned something new today. The star shaped canals are amazing and look at all those lovely ancient buildings too. Tall John is magnificent!
Hugs LLJ 13 xxx
What a beautiful city. And so clean! Loved your photos so much, I had to go on Googlemaps and take a virtual walk. Thoroughly enjoyed it – wish I could nip over on the next ferry.
Thank you for showing us. And thank you for all your ideas and hard work.
helen
Wow, you really spoiled us today! I live in the US and have never been to the Netherlands and you don’t know how happy it made me to see your pictures and learn a few new things about your new home. I am happy to hear that you feel at home. It’s a blessing to feel that way. Thank you for sharing. I just might have to add the Netherlands to my bucket list. I have a question for you. I have been challenging myself to “read the world” by reading books from countries around the world. Do you have any fiction recommendations or authors that are popular that you might recommend? You can reply on my blog if you stop by.
Belinda #30
Hi Marit, Middelburg looks lovely and can see why you love living there. Great art journal page in the making too.
Fliss x
Hi Marit what gorgeous photographs and the star shape around the city, wonderful. Pleased to hear you found somewhere nice to settle. Happy woyww, Angela x15x
What a wonderful town Middleburg is and how nice to see it through your eyes. Missed your blog. Happy to see you’re back (in town!).
Hi Marit, nice tidy desk, very organised! Thanks for sharing the photos of your town. Have a lovely week Heather x #11
I loved the tour! The Netherlands is such a beautiful place! The arial shot is awesome – how beautiful! Someday maybe I will do a tour of my city – it is also very old, but not as old as yours! Have a wonderful week, Lindart #29
Some cool stuff on your desk, Marit and thanks for the introduction to Middelburg – it looks like a lovely place. I’ve only ever been to Eindhoven and Rotterdam but that was many years ago. I do love the Netherlands and used to have some friends there – the Dutch people are so friendly and easy-going! Happy belated WOYWW! Hope you have a good weekend! zsuzsa #19
What a delightful city. It looks like a fairyland with the canals around it like a star, or a big flower. No wonder you like living here. The little alley looks so interesting. Nothing like this around here that I am aware of. Do walk about with your camera. I would love to see more.