It must have been! Given how little snow we get these days, that’s a sight very few people ever see!

All true! I didn’t know that story of the name of Kinderdijk, though! Zaanse Schans, besides a range of windmills, has some other historical buildings as well.

It is worth mentioning that the mills in the two cities are totally different in purpose! Kinderdyk lifts water from one level to a higher level in stages and all are based on use of an Archimedean screw to lift water while powered by wind. The second most interesting thing is the name: based on the story of a cat who kept a child alive by balancing on a cradle during a huge flood centuries ago. I have never seen it. Zanse schans is itself a museum of mills. One lifting water I think but also a mill to grind mustard seed, to saw wood into boards, grind paint pigments or salad oil; as different in purpose as a Doberman is from a miniature poodle!

You can go inside a couple of the windmills at Kinderdijk too. But if you want to see how different ones work for different purposes, then yes, Zaanse Schans is the better choice. Check their website for when they’ll all be open, since they’re all independently-run.

Did you go to Zaanse Schans or Kinderdijk? Or both? And yes, the cheese!

Its Zaanse Shans for me! All of the windmills are gorgeous, but I would want to go inside. I have never been in one yet.