Day 3 - Leiden to Haarlem

31 miles/51 kilometers

Noordwijk aan Zee

Mon July 31 (afternoon) Noordwijk aan Zee to Zandvoort & Haarlem

We cycled into Noordwijk at noon, which for two of the “fietstochters” this was their first visit to the “ancestral hometown” and for all of us it was an exciting day. We would be visiting the town where, not only our father and grandparents had been born but the town where our ancestors had lived for at least 400 years.

Arrangements had been made to meet a relative, NvD, the cousin of HCP but due to miscommunication across languages we were looking to meet each other at different places. An emergency conference call across the ocean to engage HCP (in the very early morning for him) to translate solved the problem. We met NvD and followed her home where she spoiled us with a delicious, authentic Noordwijk lunch.

Don savoured the “fresh herring”!

Too soon we had to say our goodbyes to rejoin the group to make our way north, through the dunes to Zandvoort.

Monday’s cycling, with sunshine and trailing winds, was such a pleasant contrast to the very tough conditions of the previous day.

21 Hoofdstraat, Noordwijk

Then (circa 1940)                             and                                         Now (2017)

Noordwijk aan Zee is the ancestral home of these bicycle tourists as the family can trace it roots back to, at least, 1591 when Jan Janszoon was born in this small village of (according to the 1621 Census) less than 500 people.

Today Noordwijk aan Zee is known as a seaside resort town but it was first inhabited in the 1200‘s as a fishing village. The fishermen would use “vierboet” (fire sites built on the dunes of Noordwijk) to navigate their bomschuiten safely back home. Centuries later the Noordwijk Vuurtoren (lighthouse) would be built (first in 1444 and then again 1854 and 1921) on the same dunes to serve the same purpose.

The grand hotel Huis ter Duin was opened in 1885 to serve early wealthy tourists that would travel by train from Amsterdam to the sea side.

Jan Janzoon is the 9th Great Grandfather of HCP.

Claes Janszoon Plug (1641 - 1710) was the youngest son of Jan Janszoon and is the first ancestor known to use the family name Plug. His name is listed as Claes Janszoon in the Wedding Registry recording his marriage to Trijntje Gerritsdochter Moerkercken in 1667.

In the 1681 Census he is listed as a “Zeeman” (Sailor) and his family name is (first) recorded as Plugh. Claes Janszn’s name is alternatively recorded as Claes Janszn Plug or Claes Janszn Plugh in various censuses in the late 1600’s.

Claes Janszoon is the 8th Great Grandfather of HCP.

Pieter Plug (1903 - 1976), the father of HCP, was born in Noordwijk aan Zee and was the proprietor of Bloemenwinkel Hortensia (Hortensia Flowershop) located at Hoofdstraat 21 in Noordwijk aan Zee. He operated the flower shop through until 1947 at which time he emigrated with his family to Canada. After a few years of farming in Canada, Pieter Plug returned to the flower business as he acquired and successfully operated Cayuga Florist in Cayuga Ontario until his retirement in 1972.

Day 3: Leiden to Haarlem

through Katwijk aan Zee, Noordwijk aan Zee and Zandvoort aan Zee

31 miles / 50 kilometers