Hans came aboard and demonstrated how wooden shoes were made years ago. It reminded us of how Al starts with a block of wood and ends up with a wonderful carving.

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The activities staff organized us into groups with a local tour guide so we could learn about this little city which is known for its seafaring and maritime heritage.

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Flowers are very much a part of this country. In Amsterdam people left their curtains open which, in the olden days, was a sign that they had nothing to hide. Here in Hoorn we noticed that the curtains were closed but the windows were decorated.

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Around Hoorn's quaint little harbor are many old gabled houses with leaded glass windows.

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The houseboats here had yards, gardens and garages behind them. One of them even had a ramp with an attached garage on the houseboat!

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In the 16th century Hoorn was a fortified city. Today this gate stands as a reminder of how the city was once walled.

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This church with a cross was a Catholic church while the Protestant churches all have a rooster on the steeple.

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All through this country one can find memorials like this one dedicated to those who lost their lives in the Holocaust.

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Trees here in Holland are often espaliered. We were told that they were done this way to create shade and privacy and were assured that doing this didn't harm the tree.

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What we at first thought was half a tower turned out to be part of the wall enclosing the city.

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