de molen van kinderdijk

The windmills of Kinderdijk are situated close to Rotterdam, NL. In 1740 19 windmills where built at this place and are still in a very good condition. Some of them were destroyed by fires but rebuilt by using the original materials as far as possible. The windmills drained the water from the polder that is below sealevel (in our days this is done by a modern water screw pumping station - one of the biggest in Europe).

A windmill can be for only one purpose, if it is built to drain water it cannot be used for any other purpose.

The different positions of the windmills were in former days a sign for family situations like moaning or weddings.

http://www.kinderdijk.nl/

An Amazing Piece of History

The Vasa (or Wasa) is a Swedish 64-gun ship, built in Sweden 1626-1628. She capsized in the first mile of her maiden voyage in August 1628. After many years she got more or less forgotton, but in 1961 after years of searching and preparation Vasa was salvaged with a largely intact hull on, and is now on display at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. She is now one of the last surviving ships of the line in the world and the museum (especially built to be fit a ship like the VASA in) is worth a visit. Light and temperature are special to protect VASA against decomposition. The museum does not only show an amazing ship but also all information related to the VASA that the visitor would like to know (life in the 17th century, why did the ship sink, how was the VASA build, etc...)

Clonmacnoise

The monastery of Clonmacnoise is situated in the Irish County Offaly, on the Shannon River south of Athlone. Clonmacnoise (Cluain Mhic Nóis in Irish, meaning "Meadow of the Sons of Nós") was built in 545 by Saint Ciarán who died only few years later in his early thirties.

Clonmacnoise is a historic site of towers, temples and high crosses.

The position of Clonmacnoise is very beautiful but also the point where the major east-west land route crossed the River Shannon. Clonmacnoise became soon the theological centre of Ireland, also a centre of arts, crafts and poetry.

colosseo

Rome, Italy

stonehenge

what would be a better day to visit stonehenge than a rainy january day? i doubt that there is any weather that would emphasize the atmosphere better.

stonehenge is worth a visit. probably not only the weather but also the amount of tourists walking arount should be a good reason to do it in the winter time.

the size of stonehenge is amazing. there are many myths and legends about the way this prehistoric site might have been build. Merlin, the devil and many more among them.