Sayonara Sneek

Today we set off from Sneek as we begin our journey south. We have been here for a long weekend (Thursday-Sunday) and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Sneek was the first place we came to in Friesland last October when we were looking for boats, so we have seen it many ways: staying in a hotel, visiting by car, dropping in for shopping, and now we have done it by boat. And that is by far the best. We are moored on the main canal that snakes (pun intended) its way through town and exits through the main bridge just past us. So between 9am and 7pm there is constant interest as a multitude of boats float slowly past our windows. In the evening it is a charming residential street. On the other side we have all that we need including a great little ships chandler, a hardware store and, two blocks away, the main shopping street.

This is the first time we have felt part of a community as we have met other English speaking couples on their boats. After a month and a half it is the first time I have overheard and English conversation between native speakers. We met the Fishers, Fran, Dwight and their dog Yogi who, in their seventies, are setting out on yet another adventure (www.serialvoyagers.blogspot.com) after selling their previous canal boat a couple of years ago and finding that they can't do without it. Also Chris and Bob from the UK who have been coming to Friesland boating since 1999 and have a wonderful cruiser moored opposite. And also John and Viv who wrote the Dutch section of Tom Somers excellent Eurocanals Guide (http://www.eurocanals.com/) that we have been studying for months. Tea, coffee and wine were shared all around.

Our goal today - Giethoorn.