Netherlands > The Eleven Alley Tour

At half past eight there is a knock on the door. Breakfast is brought in. I slept well last night on the sofa bed in the living room. However, I heard rain hitting the windows early in the morning. This doesn’t bode well for today. The breakfast is extensive. We take our time enjoying everything. Around ten o’clock, I open the umbrella and we head into Sneek. Using a short city walk as a guide, we explore the highlights of the town. We start at the Sneek Waterpoort, the symbol of the city. Today, in the rain, the gate looks much less cheerful. Fortunately, we already saw it yesterday. Just behind the tower, the Fountain of Fortuna should be located—a statue of a man standing on a golden ball in the canal. We don’t see the fountain but do see a marker floating in the water. We conclude that the fountain has been temporarily removed. We walk to Martiniplein. Here stands the Martinikerk with a striking wooden bell tower. This so-called bellhouse was traditionally built next to the tower because on the peat soil the weight of the bells would be too heavy for the often simple church buildings. Only in Enkhuizen and Sneek is the timbered, free-standing bell tower still intact. In the church is said to lie the body of the Frisian folk hero Grutte Pier, who died in Sneek in 1520.

Netherlands - The freestanding bell chair tower is unique in the Netherlands

We walk around the church and pass remains of the fortification wall. In Marktstraat stands the old town hall of Sneek. The town hall has stood here since the fifteenth century and has been renovated several times. The current facade was built in rococo style in the 18th century. The balcony was added in 1745. We wander through the streets of the center. In front of the C&A store stands a statue of the Frisian woman and the traveling "Lapkepoep." This statue commemorates the first C&A store, which Clements and August opened in Sneek in 1841. At the Marktplein, we order coffee on the terrace. Although the weather isn’t great, we conclude that we have still seen a lot of Sneek’s center. In the afternoon, we drive to the more southern village of Woudsend. We park in the town center. Woudsend is a historic village situated between Slotermeer and Heegermeer lakes. Narrow alleys run between the houses. The village has a route set up for the Elfstedentocht. We stroll through the narrow streets. Sometimes we have to fold up the umbrella because the street is too narrow. Zigzagging, we walk from alley to alley.

Netherlands - The main street of Woudsend with alleys on both sides

Many alleys have signs with historical explanations. What a charming little place this is. One of the churches has been converted into a house — quite a unique residence. The route ends at the sawmill and the Karmel, the monastery of the Carmelite monks. At the bridge over the waterway connecting the two lakes, we order something to eat. Meanwhile, we watch boats pass by. The bridge opens regularly. On sunny days, the boat traffic is probably much busier. The canal and bridge are also part of the Elfstedentocht route. Skaters come from IJlst and after Woudsend enter the Slotermeer. It is still raining. Looking on the bright side, you could say we have had only one shower today — but a very long one. We decide to drive back to Sneek. On the way back, we make a stop at the Ypecolsga cemetery, just outside Woudsend. This cemetery has a special and extremely peaceful location. Many old graves are here, including several war graves. Back in Sneek, we park the car again on the street in front of our accommodation. We received a parking permit to park in the permit-holder zone. Convenient. The rest of the afternoon, we do nothing and relax. In the evening, we walk to the beer pub. It is dry. A nice and cozy restaurant in the center. They have more than twenty beers on tap and many other bottled beers. We choose a nice beer to accompany our meal.