Hoorn, Netherlands.

As I started to tell, we docked in Hoorn in the afternoon and then walked over to a church for a dinner with some local people.  The six of us sat at a table with a lady named Ina.  It is pronounced Eena.  The i sound like an e.  She is a retired nurse who when she was a young graduate, traveled to the US.  She worked as she traveled to earn money for the trip.  Was not able to work as a nurse unless she took our exam.  So she waited tables.  Was in San Francisco, and finally made it to Alaska where she met her future husband.  He is from Tennessee.  They worked in the US for several years but finally decided to make their home in the Netherlands.

As we were in a former church, they had a beautiful organ and the leader asked if anyone could play an organ.  I thought Anne could and she tried.  She was great and at the end of her playing, she played our National Anthem and we all stood and sang it.  It was terrific and a wonderful way to end the dinner.

Our table with Ina.   Bob taking the picture so not included.

A better picture of our hostess, Ina.  These people were all volunteers and she does this about three times a year.

In the old days, these cheese men would carry the cheese on sled like things.  Each cheese wheel weighs about 20 pounds.

The organ is behind these pipes.  Anne did a great job having never played an organ before.

Some of the local girls dressed in costume.  Ina tells us that this was the dress of the Volendam area.

Our entire gang with the girls.  AM I looking a little heavy?

 Just another shot with the local girls.

This is the sled like carrier for the cheese.  The ropes are around the shoulders of each man.

Ina said she would walk us back to the boat so she got her bike and walked us back via the center of the town.  She gave us a brief history of what we were seeing.  We go to see part of the town we would have missed going back the way we came.  It is a delightful town and we were sorry not to have more time to spend in it.

We sailed at 4 am for Amsterdam.