On Saturday afternoon we hopped in the car for the first time since arriving on Tuesday, and we headed to a nearby beach. We were very pleasantly surprised! It’s only about a 15 minute drive to a huge sandy beach with a ton of people walking their dogs, riding horses and just enjoying the lovely fresh air. The weather was wonderful!

We parked in a lot nearby and walked through the dunes to get to the beach. Because most of North Holland is below sea level, there are dikes to prevent flooding. It’s very impressive and beautiful the way the small hills covered in grasses flow down to the beach.

We spent an hour or two playing, but we hadn’t brought anything with us and the day was already starting to wind down. It felt so good to breath the salty air and listen to the gentle waves. And we all had fun.

Around 4pm we headed back home with plans to come back the next day better prepared.

On the drive home we came across the cutest ferry ever! It crosses a canal that’s maybe 60 feet across (20m) and can fit two cars. It’s hard to see exactly in these photos, but you get the idea!

On Sunday we got organised earlier and headed out for the beach again, this time armed with books and a picnic lunch, shovels and buckets, a soccer ball and a frisbee, camp chairs and plenty of time. Of course, we had to cross on that adorable ferry again!

The second day at the beach did not disappoint!

I’m sure we’ll go back before the month is over!