Tick Tock

What is it that this family in Joure is gazing at? Answer - the clock on the church tower. Clocks and watches have been made in Joure since the mid 1600 s. The watchmaker beside the church has a fine collection of beautiful old clocks and the oldest one in the window is connected to a speaker in the street so you walk to the slow rhythm of the tick tock. A little disconcerting being reminded of the seconds of your life.
I haven't worn a watch since we arrived in Holland. Not because time has become irrelevant. It hasn't - not completely. We still need to know when bridges and locks are operational. I haven't needed a watch because there's usually a church tower visible and they often have not only a clock but also a carillon. I love the sounds of these, always cheerful. The first peal begins at 8am. The get up and get moving signal. Thereafter they play short tunes on the quarter and half hour and the full version on the hour. The final tune is at 8pm.We stayed in Lemmer for a couple of days close by the church and I was interested to discover that there was a different tune each hour. Most of them I didn't recognise but the last one in the evening was 'There's No Place Like Home'! Perhaps the church sermonises not only on Sundays but on the hour every hour throughout the week reminding people what they ought to be doing and how they should be behaving.

Church Tower Lemmer

It is now September and so we are beginning the subtle shift into autumn. The schools are all back and the waterways have quietened down. It's darker much earlier in the evening and all the boat interiors are lit by candles at night. Romantic looking but really it's to save the batteries. Although candles are hugely popular in homes as well.

My long time friend from my school days, Jean and her husband John, spent a few days cruising with us. We hadn't seen each other in more years than I care to think about but it was great to find that despite the passage of time people don't really change much at all. So thanks to you both for making the effort to visit.
I'll leave the watch off for a while longer.