Waterland. Gouwzee, Field Mustard, Brassica rapa, and Bibio marci, St Mark's Fly, on Queen Anne's Lace, Anthriscus sylvestris, Zeedijk, Monnickendam, North Holland, The Netherlands
The efficient bus took me to Monnickendam, 12 km to the north of Amsterdam. Don't let me bore you with my findings about that small medieval city, today a thriving summertime harbor. Instead, allow me to tell you about my pleasant hike south on the Zeedijk which protects Waterland from the sometimes violent waters of what was once the Zuyderzee but now called the Markermeer since the great dike - Afsluitdijk - that closed the 'Zee' off from the North Sea.
That 'Sea Dike' took me along the Gouwzee which separates the island of Marken due east from the mainland. I continued onward to Zuiderwoude and finished my hike at Broek in Waterland, whence a bus carried me back to the City.
Walking on that dike I for the first time actually experienced the fact that much of the land here is below sea level. But the day was pleasant - though blowing a nasty cold wind - and the colors fabulous. Of course I didn't hesitate to take a dip among the other Old Coots - Fulica - which you can see right by my muddied waters. As I lay drying in the Sun, my eyes set on the greens of not yet blossoming Queen Anne's Lace, Anthristicus sylvestris, with its beautiful delicate hairs. And here he was, too, large-eyed Bibio marci, St Mark's Fly (St Mark's feastday is on April 25, in just a few days). He's really beautiful and just about ready, i would think, to find his small-eyed female partner. But I didn't stay to watch...
Waterland. Gouwzee, Field Mustard, Brassica rapa, and Bibio marci, St Mark's Fly, on Queen Anne's Lace, Anthriscus sylvestris, Zeedijk, Monnickendam, North Holland, The Netherlands
The efficient bus took me to Monnickendam, 12 km to the north of Amsterdam. Don't let me bore you with my findings about that small medieval city, today a thriving summertime harbor. Instead, allow me to tell you about my pleasant hike south on the Zeedijk which protects Waterland from the sometimes violent waters of what was once the Zuyderzee but now called the Markermeer since the great dike - Afsluitdijk - that closed the 'Zee' off from the North Sea.
That 'Sea Dike' took me along the Gouwzee which separates the island of Marken due east from the mainland. I continued onward to Zuiderwoude and finished my hike at Broek in Waterland, whence a bus carried me back to the City.
Walking on that dike I for the first time actually experienced the fact that much of the land here is below sea level. But the day was pleasant - though blowing a nasty cold wind - and the colors fabulous. Of course I didn't hesitate to take a dip among the other Old Coots - Fulica - which you can see right by my muddied waters. As I lay drying in the Sun, my eyes set on the greens of not yet blossoming Queen Anne's Lace, Anthristicus sylvestris, with its beautiful delicate hairs. And here he was, too, large-eyed Bibio marci, St Mark's Fly (St Mark's feastday is on April 25, in just a few days). He's really beautiful and just about ready, i would think, to find his small-eyed female partner. But I didn't stay to watch...