Monnickendam was celebrating again. This weekend was the annual Jan Haring race of traditional flat bottom sailing barges. Jan Haring is a much celebrated sailor hero of the Dutch Spanish 80 year war in the 16th century. There were two starts for the Fishermen  (Botters, Lemsteraken, Kwakken, Hoogaers, etc.) and freight barges ( Tjalken, Aken, Klipperaken, etc.). The fabled and fabulous botter yacht “Groote Beer”   also participated    https://cometosea.us/albums/GrooteBeer.htm .  Nico Dobber and his wife Tonnie took me in their “Sloep” power boat to the start and the finish line. I got some good pictures. Nico is connected with the operation of the “Groote Beer”, at its current home port in nearby Volendam.

In another hour another Spanish-Dutch war breaks out. Finals of the World Cup soccer. It is a wild scene already as of this afternoon in the center of Amsterdam. Revelling groups of uniformed soldiers of Orange roam the streets with banners and flags. We left Monnickendam in the late Saturday afternoon and had a fast down wind sail to Amsterdam. Just before the heavy downpour started, in the lightning storm, we tied up in the Houtmankade to wait for the midnight bridge opening in the standing mast route through Amsterdam.

The three of us attended the English language 10.30 service of the Christian Reformed church on the Begijnhof in the center of the city. There was a mile long line to see the Anne Frank house, we might try later this week. My cousin Carol de Vries and his wife Tineke showed us their home in the 400 year old “Spanish Gable”  on the Singel. Carol is the cousin who helped me sail “Fleetwood” last August from France to Holland. We expect to go see Jeannine’s birthplace in Belgium this Tuesday/Wednesday.

I better go root for the Dutch here in the “Schinkel” club house.