Sun is shining again when we wake. We have been blessed with great weather for our adventures. Enjoy a quick breakfast and then we’re off on our bikes, cycling first to Volendam. We manage to get slightly lost at one point but enjoy the journey. The canals are teeming with all kinds of bird life. We see at least 3 sets of swans with their grey fluffy cygnets. One is very protective when we stop for a photo, so don’t get too close.

Volendam isn’t too special until you get to the harbour where it still has the look of a fishing village, with its pretty and colourful wooden houses, but it’s overun with tourists.

As a ferry is just about to leave to Marken, we quickly buy tickets for us and our bikes, and jump onboard. It’s a leisurely 45min ride. Marken was an island fishing village in the Zuiderzee until 1957 when a dyke and road were built to connect it to the mainland. The harbour is lined by pretty black and white wooden houses, all now souvenir shops and restaurants.

Tony looks a picture in his clogs!

We cycle to the church first, then the war memorial and then to a clog making factory/shop. We are enticed into buying clog souvenirs which will double up as Christmas decorations. Then we stupidly walk into a cheese shop and after a cheese tasting, of course walk out with some very expensive cheese to bring home.

Lunch is a bowl of very tasty onion soup for me and a large meatball and gravy for Tony, sitting by the harbour, with a cold pint of Heineken. It’s like a scene from the Hitchcock movie The Birds, sparrows everywhere. A quick cycle across a dyke, because we can, and a visit to another memorial remembering a huge flood in 1916 that wrecked the village, ends our visit. Then back on the ferry. This time we manage to get back to Edam along the coast, without getting lost.

Once we get back to the campsite we both flake out after our 11.5 miles cycling. Eventually rouse ourselves to shower and go to the campsite restaurant for a meal. Restaurant is very smart, food is excellent and location is great, right on the lake. Finish another fab day playing spot the difference outside, wrapped up, finishing off our wine. Officially loving The Netherlands.