Spaarndam/Zaanse Schans

Fietstocht Plug 2017

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Day 4 - Haarlem to Alkmaar

Spaarndam/Zaanse Schans

Tuesday August 1 (morning): Haarlem to Zaanse Schans

Tuesday August 1 (afternoon): Zaanse Schans to Alkmaar

360 ° video - Tues Aug 1 (Spaarndam to Noordzeekanal Ferry)

360 ° video - Tues Aug 1 (Noordzeekanal Ferry to Zaanse Schans)

360 ° video - Tues Aug 1 (Approaching Zaanse Schans)

The rhythm of the fietstocht had developed and the cyclists looked forward to another routine 50 kilometers on the bike, from Haarlem to Alkmaar with stops to see Hans Brinker and a bunch of windmills.

This rhythm also meant regular stops for “gebakjes” as Nancy once again declared “the best gebakjes ever” at a stop on Kerkbuurt in the town of Westzaan.

We used a large ferry to cross the Nordzeekanal in the morning and a very small one ferry to cross the canal at Spijkerboor mid afternoon....and Don purchased some Klompen!

Day 3: Haarlem to Alkmaar

through Spaarndam, Zaanse Schans and De Rijp

32 miles / 52 kilometers

Spaarndam is a small village in the province of Nord Holland, on the Spaarne River and the IJ Lake. The village is built around a dam in the river, which is also the division line of the two municipalities of Haarlem and Haarlemmerliede en Spaarnwoude.
Spaarndam was created around a dam where the river Spaarne flows into the IJ. This dam was built here by count Floris V in 1285. The village collected toll at this dam, and people made their living from fishing. From 1812 to 1927, the western part of Spaarndam was an independent municipality.
Legend has it that Hans Brinker (from the 1865 novel, “The Silver Skates”) became the “Hero of Haarlem” when he stuck his finger in the dike to prevent the town from flooding (and the Plug family likes to claim the fictional Hans Brinker as an ancestor, for obvious reasons).

There are no known Plug ancestors (other than the fictional Hans Brinker) that lived in Spaarndam.

Zaanse Schans is a neighbourhood of Zaandam and is also the site of a museum and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Netherlands.

The museum includes a collection of eight well-preserved historic windmills and houses. From 1961 to 1974 old buildings from all over the Zaanstreek were relocated using by truck and trailer to the area.

The Zaans museum was established in 1994 and houses seven distinct museums: The Weavers House, the Cooperage, the Jisper House, Zaan Time Museum, Albert Heijn Museumshop, Bakery Museum

There are no known Plug ancestors that lived in the Zaandam area.