The old women of Spakenburg
Last month, before Dutchman and I went to the Alps for our winter sport holiday, we visited this pleasant and traditional once sea-side little town in the north of Utrecht province situated along the IJsselmeer (lake) which was once the Zuiderzee (sea). The old haven of Spakenburg at dusk - as you can see in the foto, the boats are covered for the season, which is an eyesore really but that’s winter in this once thriving fishing village. Fishing was the main industry of Spakenburg which is part of the Bunschoten municipality. Since the closure of the Zuiderzee due to the construction of the 32-kilometer afsluitdijk (closure dike) sealing off the northern part of the lowlands, a crucial project driven by the Dutch government with the aim to protect its citizens and their beloved (take note: the Dutch made the Netherlands) below sea level country from the ferocious and intimidating ocean, the trade has since suffered and many fishermen have moved on to other professions. To save ...