Beautiful Holland
Hello everyone! Even if it's only been a week, I've missed you all!
We've been visiting one of the most beautiful wetland areas in Holland: "de Biesbosch".
This - nowadays National Park - was in the 1430's created by the St. Elisabeth springtide, entrapping masses of water when the tide turned. Nowadays it is a vast maze of rivers, creeks, swamps and islands, sheltering a large variety of animals; beavers, roe dears, foxes and lots of birds and waterfowl! We cruised the area by boat and could approach the animals quite closely. (more photos to follow)
We met an extremely lovely man, Harry. He knows the Biesbosch like no other after coming there for already 41 years and lives there almost permanently on his wonderful house-boat. His stories and knowledge of the area are absolutely fabulous and heartwarming. He lent us his canoe and every morning at 5.30 we went out with that. Fantastic! (I didn't even know I hàd muscles where I feel them right now!).
So thanks, Harry!! A privilege!!
The picture was taken early in the morning around 7.30 AM, lying flat on the bottom of the canoe, resting the lens on the side. There was a whole family of swans and daddy, who was supposed to be keeping an eye out, was so busy grooming himself that mum thought it was time to give him an ear full! So, all of a sudden, she rose from the water and half flew, half walked on water, screaming her head off, and landed with a big splash just 50 cm. from the vain macho. That woke him up all right!! It was really funny to watch.
Just the day before, daddy displayed all of his splendour in trying to scare us away from his family. One look at his powerfull wings and we kept a very safe distance! Later Harry told us that he is known for actually attacking people in boats who come too close to his offspring! The above shot was therefore taken with the 400mm.. :-)
Beautiful Holland
Hello everyone! Even if it's only been a week, I've missed you all!
We've been visiting one of the most beautiful wetland areas in Holland: "de Biesbosch".
This - nowadays National Park - was in the 1430's created by the St. Elisabeth springtide, entrapping masses of water when the tide turned. Nowadays it is a vast maze of rivers, creeks, swamps and islands, sheltering a large variety of animals; beavers, roe dears, foxes and lots of birds and waterfowl! We cruised the area by boat and could approach the animals quite closely. (more photos to follow)
We met an extremely lovely man, Harry. He knows the Biesbosch like no other after coming there for already 41 years and lives there almost permanently on his wonderful house-boat. His stories and knowledge of the area are absolutely fabulous and heartwarming. He lent us his canoe and every morning at 5.30 we went out with that. Fantastic! (I didn't even know I hàd muscles where I feel them right now!).
So thanks, Harry!! A privilege!!
The picture was taken early in the morning around 7.30 AM, lying flat on the bottom of the canoe, resting the lens on the side. There was a whole family of swans and daddy, who was supposed to be keeping an eye out, was so busy grooming himself that mum thought it was time to give him an ear full! So, all of a sudden, she rose from the water and half flew, half walked on water, screaming her head off, and landed with a big splash just 50 cm. from the vain macho. That woke him up all right!! It was really funny to watch.
Just the day before, daddy displayed all of his splendour in trying to scare us away from his family. One look at his powerfull wings and we kept a very safe distance! Later Harry told us that he is known for actually attacking people in boats who come too close to his offspring! The above shot was therefore taken with the 400mm.. :-)