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The north west wind brings another cold day dawning. Sandra's tour party arrives in twos and threes around 10:30 just as the articulated lorry departs with the flowers we saw in the cold rooms yesterday.
Because it's another cold day and we're still shaking off our own colds we decide to have a scenic tour rather than aim for somewhere to visit.
We leave the tulip farm and drive past the bare sandy fields out to the motorway, over the bridge where we were held up yesterday and on to the A7 Afsluitdijk which separates the Waddenzee from the IJsselmeer fresh water lake. After passing the concrete and steel sluice system we are on a wide dual carriageway with the high green banking on our left and the flat, grey lake on our right. Waterbirds bob among the thin sticks which support fishing nets near the shore.
We pull in by the monument where the last opening to the sea was filled. The 20 mile structure was built in 1932 using clay dredged from the seabed. Sluices drain fresh water to the sea as necessary. About halfway across is the artificial island of Breezanddijk, one of four built during construction. Today there is a garage, restaurant, car park and camperstop.
At the north end we pass more locks before reaching Zurich, the first village on the 'mainland' of Friesland.
Here the land is still open, flat fields but rather than the bare earth of Wieringen flower farms these are green with tough grazing pastures, sheep and horses. Wooden windmills dot the scenery but none are turning, unlike the hundreds of modern wind turbines turning slowly. Canals are plentiful with the odd boat moored. Farm buildings are unusual, with living space and barn all one large building but with distinct style; tiled roof on the house, thatch on the barn.
We stop in a quiet town called Holwerd and stop to buy a few bits in the CO-OP. The roads are brick paved and very quiet. There isn't a scrap of litter, fag butt or dog turd to be seen, its almost like a little Legoland.
The weather hasn't improved at all so we select one of the aires from a shortlist we made yesterday and set off. Part way along our route we come on to a road block and have to reroute across a narrow dyke but without much delay we arrive at the canal, cross the bridge and turn into the marina at Jachthaven Kuikhorne at Zwaagwesteinde. We park right next to the basin, filled with small pleasure craft. A couple of boats glide along the canal and small trains cross the bridge periodically but otherwise all is peaceful.
Any thoughts of walking the towpath are soon quelled, outside is bitterly cold with the icy, north sea wind cutting across the flat land uninterrupted.
We find the flat land also makes for uninterrupted radio waves, allowing us to keep up with the last day of the 6-Nations rugby on BBC5 Live.
The van is warm inside, we have good wifi and it's better to chill out indoors than freeze our bits off in Friesland.
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