MyWorld Tuesday

Today we went to Spakenburg an old fishing village upon the former Zuiderzee (southern sea) which was a very rough and dangerous bay of the Northsea in the northern part of the Netherlands. In 1932 the Afsluitdijk (closing dike) was build to separate the bay from the sea. A huge lake was formed fed by the river IJssel an called IJsselmeer. You have to know the Dutch and their struggle against water and claiming their land from the sea. So they did by draining half of the IJsselmeer and our 12th province was born: Flevoland. Many people around the IJsselmeer lost their livelihood. Also in Spakenburg. The botters (wooden fishing boats) are kept and well maintained and used for pleasure boating on the remaining waters.





In Spakenburg people used to wear their typical folkloristic dress. It is disappearing but some women still wear it. We saw a few women fully dressed at work in shops. It looked beautiful. Men and children don't wear traditional costumes anymore. In the Traditional Costume and Fishery Museum I took a few photos which give you an impression. In the first picture are children up to toddlers age and the second picture show children up to about 18 years. I am not sure if it was comfortable for the younger kids. The other pictures show complete families.