Highlights of a Low Country

By David Whiting

For many years I have combined my hobby as postcard collector with that of traveller. In 2006 I joined an Internet postcard exchange site called postcrossing.com through which I share my hobby with thousands of like-minded individuals in almost every country around the world. Occasionally there are meetings for Postcrossers; indeed I organise meetings myself in the east of England.

When a meeting was announced in the Netherlands in May 2014 I decided it would be an ideal opportunity to meet other Postcrossers and at the same time spend several days in the country visiting places I had not previously seen.

I bought a ferry ticket to travel with Stena Line from Harwich to Hoek van Holland. My ticket included a train ticket to any station in Holland; the return fare cost £80.00. It’s quite a lengthy journey, and I had two changes of train before I arrived at my base, Deventer, where I had been invited by a total stranger, a Finnish Postcrosser and her Dutch husband.

The Waag, Deventer

Deventer dates from 768 and its large harbour on the River IJssel enabled it to join the Hanseatic League. Its principal building beside the main city square is the Waag (public weigh-house), built in 1550. It now houses the city museum and Tourist Information Office (V.V.V). The cobblestones of this city, as elsewhere in the country, make for some sore footwork! Deventer has many lovely shops including several which satisfy the most discerning postcard collector!

Saturday was the day of the Postcrossing meeting. A leisurely train journey took us to the city of ‘s Hertogenbosch, also known as Den Bosch (in French Bois-le-Duc), originally the hunting forest of a Duke of Brabant. The city has the country’s finest cathedral, built in 1330-1550. Fifteen Postcrossers had arranged to meet at a café beside the cathedral and we all turned up gradually. Eventually we headed off around the city, buying postcards at the numerous outlets including a museum and a junk shop.

Postcrossers are very friendly people and I met friends new and old. Such meetings are not common, but do attract different members each time. We spent some time in a park where we wrote and collectively signed postcards which we sent to absent friends.

Sunday in the Netherlands is very different to Sunday in the UK. Here the towns can be almost as busy as any other day of the week. In the Netherlands it is extraordinarily quiet as the shops remain closed. We paid a short visit to Zutphen, a smaller town with medieval walls. It is another Hanseatic town in the River IJssel. There is a great town gate, several fine old buildings including the Old Town Hall built in 1460-62 and a hideous green New Town Hall.

Utrecht

On Monday we travelled by train to Utrecht, a much larger city. In most Dutch towns, cyclists believe they have priority and need to be avoided by other road-users. In Utrecht they may be regarded as Weapons of mass Destruction, such is the danger from cyclists and motorcyclists, even cycling in places where cycles are supposedly not allowed.

Utrecht is principally famous for its great cathedral, dating from 1254. Its massive tower was built in 1321-82, 112m tall, with 465 steps. There are guided tours (tickets from the VVV) but only for the fit! The views from the top are magnificent. The cathedral tower is now separated from the church section since a hurricane in 1674 destroyed the central part of the cathedral. It is best seen from the top of the tower.

I returned home on Tuesday, already wondering which meeting I may attend next year…

First published in VISA 117 (October 2014)