Unusual Sightings at the Open Air Museum...

Despite its classy architecture, which was in line with the times of its construction in 1923 for the Deventer train station...

…this urinal was one of the funniest things we saw at the museum. At first glance, it looked like this guy was using the facilities, but luckily he was just a mannequin. 

Of course, Bob couldn’t resist pretending to use it himself. 

The other humorous sighting was this marijuana plant in the garden.

The museum was surprisingly busy, but we managed to find a table outside for a nice lunch complete with beer brewed onsite. It was common historically for villages to brew their own beer. This brewery dates from 1750 and was in use into the 1920s; it was relocated here in 1943...

…but has since been completely modernized. 

There was also a small section of buildings from the Jordaan in Amsterdam, where Bob and Lisa live. The front buildings were from around 1870, but the rear section were slum dwellings from 1670 depicting the poverty that once prevailed.

 

Netherlands Open Air Museum...

While Jimmy had to work that Sunday, I took a long train journey to Arnhem, where I met up with Bob and Lisa to visit the Netherlands Open Air Museum, which dates back to 1918. This sculpture was installed in 2018 in honor of the 100-year anniversary. 

This museum features approximately 40 buildings from different regions and periods of Dutch history. Apparently it housed around 100 evacuees during the Battle of Arnhem in World War II.

The museum’s Tram Depot was reconstructed in 1996 at one-sixth the size of the original, which was destroyed during WWII.

In reality, the idea of seeing the underneath of an old tram was cooler than it actually was.

This was a 18th century “best room” from Hindeloopen, designed to show off luxury goods collected by the owners. 

This farmhouse, dating from the 16th century, was relocated here in 1953. 

The inside, from the 18th century, showed that the family lived together with their animals. Their was no chimney, so the smoke from the open fire would have caused eye and lung problems. 

The chapel was from 1672 and was relocated here in 1988 with an interior from approximately 1900.

Turns out that this isn’t really an organ, but rather a second-hand Vocalion, which sounds similar to an organ, but with imitation pipes.  

 

Meanwhile in the UK...

Although Veronica isn’t a beer drinker, she humored me by taking this photo when she and Brett hiked through the small village of Beer in Devon.

They skipped stopping at the local pub, aptly named Barrel of Beer.

Veronica always looks so happy when she’s back on the South West Coast Path.

She and Brett were thrilled to finally get to camp together while doing the coastal path.

Meanwhile, after Ashlynn returned to Germany, she and Bjarne spent a day at an amusement park. Since it was during the week, it wasn’t busy and they could ride the rollercoasters over and over. In fact, they rode the coasters so many times that Ashlynn eventually had had enough—definitely a first for her.

On September 12, Ashlynn boarded a Ryanair flight from Hamburg to Edinburgh. You know you’re on a classy airline when they cram the emergency procedures onto the back of the seats. 

Luckily the flight wasn’t too full. Once in Scotland, she caught a bus from Edinburgh to Glasgow, and then an Uber to her new accommodation...

...at Clifton House, a private student housing complex about 10 minutes from campus. Her first order of business was to go into quarantine for 14 days, although that didn’t stop her from socializing with the other 7 students in her flat (she has her own ensuite room, but shares a kitchen and living room with the others). When she wasn’t hanging out with her new flatmates (who are all from the UK), she was busy shopping online to kit out her room. Definitely not the way we’d anticipated her starting university, but she managed to keep a positive attitude.  
 

Spotted in Noordwijk...

The following day, Terri picked up me and Kati for a long walk further afield, this time starting in Katwijk and walking north of Noordwijk. Loved this kiosk set up at the beach to sell dog toys. 

There were lots of kite surfers making use of the high winds.

Considering how expensive beachfront properties are, we were surprised to come across this dilapidated hotel in a prime location. 

We thought we could cross the property of Grand Hotel Huis ter Duin, but it turned out that the gate on the other side was locked...

...so we walked down to the beach. 

Once back in the dunes, we saw remnants of an old bunker...

…and a driftwood sculpture. 

After lunch we got pelted by sand due to the high winds while crossing over the dunes.

Luckily it was calmer on the beach itself. 

 

Spotted in Voorschoten...

The next day, Terri and Carlin met at my house for another walk around Vlietland. 

We took the long way around and spotted these storks, not something we see very often. 

We also walked past a farm with some alpacas...

…and horses. 

It’s a bummer that I only managed to catch this special bike from the rear; essentially it’s a taxi for the elderly with a divider socially distancing the driver from the passenger. 

This sign cracked me up. As we approached, it accidentally advertised a dairy product...

…while from the other side it advertised the nearby high ropes climbing course.

I love when I spot a two-headed swan.