Leaving Holland and travel day

Today we have mixed feelings.  We are very sad to be leaving Holland, but super excited to finally be heading home.  It will take us a full day to get back to Paris, because we have some stops to make along the way.

First one:  The windmill in IJlst, just down the road from where we were staying (we could walk to it in 5 minutes.)  We had planned to go in, but the windmill wasn't actually running today for some reason.  So instead, we walked along the canal for a few minutes, to see the other little windmill, and then we took some photos of them before heading out.  Goodbye IJlst.

Second stop:  We were given an address of a store in Sneek that sells wooden shoes.  It's where the farmers buy them... kind of like Buckerfields.  We were so excited to find wooden shoes, finally!!  And it was pretty cool that we didn't buy them from an overpriced, tacky touristy shop.  Score!  Ruby was so happy, she wore them on and off in the car all day.

Third stop:  Hindeloopen.  Wow, super cute little town.  We only spent a few minutes there, just wandering the dyke and walking through the tiny canal streets. 

A whole lotta heaven on those plates...

 

Which windmill is cuter? :-)

Forth stop:  Back to Utrecht, where we stayed on our way into Holland on the first night.  They have a Pannekoeken restaurant on the canal, next to the hostel, where they have been making amazing pannekoeken since the early 1900's.  It did not disappoint.  They were awesome!!  And the setting, so beautiful.

Fifth stop:  Should be called "Filth stop".... augh, oh my word, gross, yuck.   Our cheap hotel rooms outside of Paris.   I don't even want to talk about it.  It's just a place to stay for a few hours, get some sleep (if we can) and get the heck out of here.  I said to Rodger "It's a good thing I'm not a princess or I would've said absolutely not, I am NOT staying here."  I may not be a princess but I still whined a whole lot about it.  But seriously, you would have too! I wanna go home!!  Wah.