Cold and drizzle in the afternoon but in the morning on boat had a nice lecture about the history and people of Belgium. In the late 19th and early 20th century 3 million left Antwerp for U S A via Red Star line. About 60 per cent of population in the North which also has more wealth. Originally the south had more wealth but the religious wars drove many merchants out and then the coal mines became depleted. Much of Belgian history has been of conquest--Roman...

Long but fun day in Bruges. Left ship for bus at 8:30 and arrived at Bruges by coach at 10. Had walking tour of the city which has retained its medieval charm. Bruges was important in 14th and 15th century as a town on the silk road through Venice to china. Also known for diamonds and lace. Suffered in 16th century when North Sea receded for 20 miles. Also city was punished by Emperor Maximilian when it killed his tax collector. Emperor encouraged artisans to m...

Lazy day. Morning on ship for breakfast and lunch. Read and walked on the deck. In early afternoon bus to Delta Project near Veere in southern Netherlands. This massive engineering project took place after the storm and flooding that killed more than 1700 people in 1953. Funding began in 1960's , then planning and finally construction from 1978 to 1986 at a cost of 8 billion dollars. In 1971 decision to create 62 movable barrier walls so that fish, mussels, an...

Toured the Hague and Delft Bus to Hague, which is gvmt center but not Capitol It is 22 miles from Utrecht. Toured municipal museum and saw paintings by such Dutch masters as Rembrandt and Vermeer. Stopped for a photo of Peace Palace,built after WW1 with contributions from each nation. Netherlands had been neutral in that war In afternoon toured Delft, famous for its porcelain and as the home of William of Orange who liberated Netherlands from Spain. William wa...

Lecture on HanseaticLeague. Originally founded to protect merchants from pirates on Baltic and North Sea. Then evolved into a loose federation of trading communities that stretched from Netherlands to Scandinavia. Kampen was one of the cities and our boat docked there. Toured In afternoon . In morning bus to Giethoorn, literally goats horn , named because of what was found when land was drained Entire trip through the town was by canal boat, like Venice. Even g...