Tuesday 22 July 2014

A windmill to top them all!

(Ok, there's nothing more stereotypical that suggesting to visit some windmills while in Holland, but these are special, I promise!)

Although Schiedam is well known for its historical connection with the production of jenever, the most striking feature of this small town north of Rotterdam are certainly the windmills, and that's because they are the tallest in the world.

Of the town's 20 original windmills only 6 survive: they are spectacularly tall (up to 40 meters) and are kept in excellent conditions.

One of them was actually built in 2006 and it generates energy for the Nolet distillery, the makers of Ketel One vodka, very popular in the US I am told.

Another one, the Walwisch, hosts a shop selling several kind of flours and other baking products: a good excuse to give a look inside and bring home something lekker!



Blog post with detailed info on the windmills:

http://armchairtravelogue.blogspot.nl/2009/04/worlds-tallest-windmills-schiedam.html

Windmill and flour shop De Walwisch:

http://www.molendewalvisch.nl