Monday, August 26

Once we get going today we decide to find the De Haar castle. Joke had sent us an email describing this classic castle just outside of Utrecht - not far. We put the address in our 
Tom-Tom and head out. After about 30 minutes we pull into a parking lot which looks like its close to something that looks like a castle. While we are trying to decide if we need to pay, a woman happens by and hears us talking. She tells her that she thinks these parking spaces are just for the residents who live across the street. If we want to park, we need to drive around the block and use the parking garage. As we continue to talk, I show her the printout of the place we're looking for and she tells us we're in the wrong town. Whoops. We're in Ijsselstein and we want to be in Haar Zuilens where the Kasteel De Haar is. 

We decide that since we're there, we should look around. After finding the garage, we walk past this church with its interesting tower and  protrusions at the top that we have never seen before. We continue walking over to what looks like the main street and stroll down the equivalent of 3 blocks. Its Monday and before 1:00, so most of the shops are closed. We look at a couple of menus and finally settle on one cafe where we sit in a garden-like area. Linda has a very Dutch dish: three eggs, ham, and speek. I have carpaccio and we share fries. 

Having checked off that town, we put the correct address into the Tom-Tom and head off for another 30 minute drive. This time we pull into an area clearly marked Kasteel De Haar and park the car. It is a storybook looking castle. It has turrets, a moat, a drawbridge, and nice looking towers. We pay the park admission fee and the parking fee and decide we don't want to pay an additional 12.50 euros apiece for a tour of the building in Dutch. 

We came to walk around the grounds and that's what we spend the next hour doing. There are ponds where white swans are vacuuming the green scum off the surface of the water. We discuss whether or not anyone ever eats swans. We don't think so. Even in those paintings where the hunter has a bunch of different dead game, you don't see dead swans. We wonder. 

The rest of the walk is along paths by a maze, more ponds, old trees, and gardens. There is a wedding at the chapel on the grounds and as we approach, so we sit on a bench and wait for them to finish. Back at the gift shop we decide to buy a book about the castle to find out its history. Linda wants to know about its history. Linda. 

We sit at the cafe for an espresso for me and sparkling water for Linda. The wedding reception is next door in the restaurant and we watch them take pictures. 

On the way out, we drive through Veluten and an A and H grocery store where we stop to shop for dinner. Its a large store and we found taco shells.

Another wonderful day in Holland.