I decided to go to Ikea Utrecht today with my daughter for a few bits and bobs. Afterwards, as it was a sunny day, we bought our 50 cent ice creams near the check out and went outside to have a look at the motorway that runs past the store. However, this motorway is the Amsterdam-Rijn kanaal which as the name suggests, is the canal that connects Amsterdam with the Rhine river. It was mega busy even for a Saturday, and every five minutes a massive barge would chug past carrying oil, ore, containers etc. Raymundo would love it over here !
One of the members here was in Holland only recently but he had not got as good photos as yours
Great photos
Holland was always my favourite country when I drove. Really enjoy the pics and the comments.
I always like Holland. Not been for years.
I used to cross the Rhine daily on my way to school, on a ferry. The ferry had to pick it’s moment to cross, dodging the big barges (Aaken). It’s like crossing a big busy road, only all the participants can only steer when going forward, and have no brakes to speak of… 
Going upstream, a barge must keep under propulsion, or loose steering and risk the bow slewing around. So slowing down to let a ferry cross is a nono.
Going down stream is more fun, effectively the barge needs to go faster than the water flow, to keep effective steering. Trying to slow down, or stop, using only the prop in reverse, is like slowing your 44 tonner down with just the trailer brakes. Downhill…
I’m going back over later this year. I’ll make sure to fit a few ferry crossings into the itinerary.
Very often when I’m in the truck, I’m sat in slow moving rush hour traffic on the A12 motorway from Utrecht to Rotterdam. There is a bridge that carries a canal over the motorway and three times now, I have seen a fully laden container barge with three layers of containers chugging slowly above all the traffic. Yet looking at the depth of the bridge which is not very deep it seems, the barge can’t be laid that low in the water despite all that weight. And when you drive under the bridge, there is not one single drip from the water above. God forbid though if Stobarts should hit it.
Another time, I was driving near Ijmuiden when I saw a ferry crossing over the motorway, the lighting on the ship illuminating DFDS seaways (Newcastle ferry perhaps?). Again, not a single drip of water in the tunnel below. These Dutchies know their stuff when it comes to dealing with water !
nightline:
One of the members here was in Holland only recently but he had not got as good photos as yours
Great photos
When that member posted his photos, it was showing a dry day. Yet on that particular day, it had been raining in Utrecht (30 mins from Amsterdam) most of the day. I didn’t say anything though because I couldn’t gurantee absolutely, that it had been raining in Amsterdam too.
You do know that when you drive around where you do,you’re actually a few feet below sea level?
the nodding donkey:
You do know that when you drive around where you do,you’re actually a few feet below sea level?
Sorry, I tend to forget sometimes. Was reminded of it when I saw that full size freight ship parked up next to the hard shoulder of the A16 motorway, behind an embankment, and looking on a map later, saw a stretch of water I never knew was there.
No hosepipe bans here in summer !
citycat:
the nodding donkey:
You do know that when you drive around where you do,you’re actually a few feet below sea level?Sorry, I tend to forget sometimes. Was reminded of it when I saw that full size freight ship parked up next to the hard shoulder of the A16 motorway, behind an embankment, and looking on a map later, saw a stretch of water I never knew was there.
No hosepipe bans here in summer !
No need to apologise 
, the Dutch don’t only live below sea level, they actually congegrated at the low bits…
All the big cities and all the government is in the West. Which is the lowest part of the country…
the nodding donkey:
citycat:
the nodding donkey:
You do know that when you drive around where you do,you’re actually a few feet below sea level?Sorry, I tend to forget sometimes. Was reminded of it when I saw that full size freight ship parked up next to the hard shoulder of the A16 motorway, behind an embankment, and looking on a map later, saw a stretch of water I never knew was there.
No hosepipe bans here in summer !
No need to apologise
All the big cities and all the government is in the West. Which is the lowest part of the country…
Do they ever have tsunamis…?