#I want to decorate Link's house/boat/train etc

[lab-gr0wn-lambs]

More games should have pointless collectibles. You get an ungodly amount of money in so many games for no reason. Yeah you can buy some potions and treasure maps (that sometimes just lead you to. more money??), but then what do you do with the thousands you have left over? Mario Odyssey got it right. Do I need hats and stickers and decorations? Absolutely not. Will I go around collecting as many coins as possible so that I can buy them? Yes, no question.

[yoolee]

About Lee

@cavern-of-bells made a FUN LIST OF THINGS so I answered them.

1. What kind of food can’t you stand?:  I fervently avoid all food that squelches – like grapes and ‘gelatinous snow fungus’ (that is a google-translated name for a mushroom in a soup my roomie from China made me once – aside from that ingredient, it was interesting). I’ve never, not once in my life, eaten Jello. 

2. If you could choose one minor inconvenience to never have to deal with again, what would you pick?:  Smoke alarm chirping. I could also happily do without pharmaceutical ads, which I think should be illegal, and election campaign ads.

3. Have you got any useless talents?:  AHAHAHA. I can sing the chipmunk Christmas song and say the alphabet backwards? I’m also hypermobile—did a stint in the local circus as a contortionist in high school. (non-animal circus – just acrobatic acts)

4. If you could be really really good at one thing, what would it be?:  Making people smile.

5. Name a few people you think are extremely good-looking: Mila Kunis, Barbara Palvin, Wendell Lissimore, Chris Evans, Zendaya Coleman, Natalie Portma, Godfrey Gao

6. What was your favorite way to pass the time as a kid?:  READING (/daydreaming about book worlds) but also figure skating while we could still afford it. It was as close to flying as I could get! 

7. What is something you’re proud of?:  When I was in my MBA program, my 59 classmates voted me ‘Most Likely to Change the World’. It’s framed next to my diplomas. Though, to be fair, it also sort of haunts me because I feel like I’m not living up to it. 

8. What’s one character flaw in people that you just can’t tolerate?:  I despise being patronized. Being ignorant and refusing to admit it in the face of facts.

9. Do you consider yourself to be more of a leader or a follower?:  Leader -  not a good one, but, I’m not a follower.

10. What kind of student are/were you?:  A really lazy, procrastinating one who still got A’s/B’s. I was a really good test taker.

11. Butterfly effect question! Has there ever been a seemingly minor decision you’ve made (at the time) that ended up having a profound influence on your life?:  Reading in class in 7th grade science. My teacher made a deal with me – if I could pass the pre-quiz at the start of every week, he’d let me read instead of pay attention, but he would get to pick the book. He introduced me to Michael Crichton and Anne McCaffery, which were my first forays into sci-fi, and my involvement in that has rippled through most of my major friend groups since. Alternately, attending a training at my first career job, which introduced me to the career I now have.

12. Name your most irrational fear/aversion: Ants. I hate ants. Where there’s one, there’s hundreds, and there’s nowhere I can go that they can’t get too, and they’re small enough to crawl in your nose and stuff. I sat in a fire ant hill as a kid, which was strike one. Strike two was moving into a house that had been abandoned for seven months when I was in third grade – turned on the tub water and it came out black there were so many ants in the pipes, and they just POURED into the tub and swarmed up the sides oh god it was like a horror movie. Other than that, most of my fears are pretty average – failure, my family being hurt, etc.

13. Are there any fictional characters you find especially relatable?:  I am self-centered enough to find myself in most characters – there’s usually one or two aspects that line up. Unless they are Lawful Good then I’m like…uuuugh. Nope, nothing there.

14. If you drink, what kind of drunk are you? Alternatively, what sort of person are you at parties?:  I am a giggly, ballet-dancing drunk. I get hyper paranoid about my spatial issues so I literally go into ballet-mode because the movements are naturally slower and more flowy. I am also pretty clingy drunk. I like to snuggle, which is funny because sober me is not big on touching or being touched. Not to overanalyze, but I think being drunk takes away the fear of that. At parties I am that awkward wall-hovering introvert who likes to find an extrovert and make them talk while I nod and wait to GTFO. I spent the entirety of my bro’s wedding reception babysitting a 4 and 5 year old because it was so much less stressful than making small talk (simultaneously playing Go Fish AND Who’s Who Monster Edition LIKE A CHAMP)

15. Do you fall in love easily? Or does it usually take a long time for you to trust someone?:  AHAHAHAHA no. I genuinely don’t think I’ve ever honestly been in love – just more fond of one person than most. Invariably, I find I prefer my own company to theirs after a time.

16. Would you rather have one close friend or 100 casual friends?:  This is a really hard one. 100 casual friends means more people to do stuff with, but, I treasure my close friends. I don’t know. Pass!

17. Do you consider yourself to be more of a slob or a neat-freak?:  I. AM. SUCH. A. SLOB. *sobs* My room should have a hazard sign.

18. Describe a place (imaginary or real) that you would find incredibly cozy: I am not feeling creative – a bedroom that cleans itself, with lots of soft, fuzzy blanket piles and pillows, with tea services (including scones!) and lots of bookshelves. A view of a duck pond would be appreciated too lololol. 

19. Do you have kids? If not, do you want them someday?: I don’t have kids. I truly treasure spending time with the kids in my family, and I work part-time as a princess/elf/storyteller at the local zoo – I like kids, but, I am a really selfish and self-centered person, and I move on to new things—including people—with serious regularity. I don’t think I would be a good parent at all. I wish I could be, but, knowing my flaws, it would be really irresponsible to have kids.

20. What was your favorite book as a child?  Elementary school – it was a book about a little black cat who went to boarding school, and there was a yellow spotted cat with a fire truck. Don’t remember the name. I also love the Wizard of Oz books (SO DARK). As a middle schooler – The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley. I needed a Mary Sue at that point in my life. Also loved the Dragonsinger series by Anne McCaffery, and everything by Mercedes Lackey and Tamora Pierce. In high school…The Things They Carried, I suppose. Now, probably Fuyumi Ono’s Twelve Kingdom’s series. It’s YA, but, the characters are so flawed, and so redeemed, I find it really interesting.

21. Name one thing you just don’t get what all the hype is about: Disney World  

22. Name one thing that you think is tragically underrated: The Emperor’s New Groove is the best Disney movie ever. ALSO, Mary Sues. Middle School me needed Mary Sues. I think most do. Go easy on ‘em.

23. If you had to be glued to a person for a month, real or fictional (who you have never met), who would you choose?: UM. HM. Someone who doesn’t need to shower to smell clean? XD Lady Luck, maybe. It would be fascinating to watch – both good and bad luck – unfold all around.

24. What’s something you’d like the chance to do someday?: This feels super arrogant – but I’d like to be a good enough author to have a book published and do a book signing. With people who actually come to get the book signed!

25. Do you typically speak your mind when you have a controversial opinion? Or do generally prefer to not rock the boat?: I like to work behind the scenes. Usually I write like a multi-page rebuttal with linked references, but I rarely post it. Sometimes I do. I call my senators roughly weekly, for what that’s worth, but public discourse is not my thing.

26. What’s the dumbest fad you’ve been caught up in?: ….uuuum. Hmm. Butterfly clips, maybe? But then, it was the 90s and I was eleven, so. 

27. What’s something you thought was cool as a kid/adolescent, but now cringe at yourself for?:  I DON’T CRINGE AT MYSELF but Dragonball Z. XD I forgive my kid/adolescent self for a lot, okay.

28. What’s a trait you consider to be very admirable?: The willingness to publically, and politely, engage in debate in service of someone else. Genuine ability to interact with other people in a way that leaves them feeling better for having interacted with you.

29. Is there a particular kind of item people always tend to give you as gifts? (For instance, people always get you things with ducks on them because you like ducks, etc.): LITERALLY, DUCKS. I love ducks. People give me ceramic ducks all the time. Also socks, because my grandma collected fancy decorative perfume bottles and one Christmas my mom and I went to like 10 stores looking for one she didn’t have and I pitched a FIT saying when I was older I was going to collect socks because you always need more, and there’s no way people would run out of options for me. My family thought this was hilarious and took me up on it. My grandpa shipped me socks from the dollar store once a month while I was in college.

30. Do you speak multiple languages? Which ones?: I wish I did! I can cuss in quite a few, and I know some conversational Irish from studying abroad there and studying it. 

31. Would you rather live in the big city or the countryside?: Having lived in both – the big city. It’s too easy to self-isolate in the countryside, and for me, personally, that’s fairly unhealthy. Countryside is definitely prettier and more peaceful, just, not for me.

32. Has there ever been something you were certain you’d hate, but ended up loving?: Literally all the time. Like, Mitsunari in SLBP for example!

33. Do you mind being the center of attention, or do you prefer the spotlight to be on someone else?: Ahahahaha give me all of the attention please /sigh

34. Favorite holiday?: Halloweeeeen. But I also really like Diwali even if I feel a little bit like I am trespassing/being a tourist. It’s just beautiful.

35. Are you a more go-with-the-flow type of person, or do you need to have things planned meticulously?: “PLANNED” AHAHAHA WHAT IS THAT WORD IDK. I am so last-minute and haphazard it’s absurd.

36. Is there something you loved so much you wish you could forget it and experience it all over again? (A tv show, book, series–anything.) : The pleasure of reading books in middle school. Those ‘first’ exposures, without expectation or standards. EVERYTHING was magical and exciting, and I devoured it all. Alternately, college. 

37. What hobbies do you have?: UM. I dress up as a princess/superhero and visit kids in the hospital which is…weird, I know. I get paid to do it at the zoo, and some parents reached out to them and asked if we could visit and then it became a thing. Less so now that I’m in a new city. Martial arts (Hapkido, Judo, Taekwondo), ballet, baking with zucchini, photoshopping, reading, writing SLBP fanfiction, playing otome games…XD

38. If you could have a superpower, but it was only mildly useful, what ability would you want to have?: THE ABILITY TO FEEL WELL-RESTED AT ANY TIME. Or good luck, but I’d argue that would be more than mildly useful. Ability to find the right thing to say to cheer someone up!

39. Something people are always surprised to learn about you: Online folks are usually surprised to learn I’m old? Friends IRL are usually surprised I’m Chaotic Evil (I won’t say I’m two-faced, I’ll say I try really hard to be nice, and I act like it well, but it is an act – I don’t genuinely possess any empathy to speak of. I will listen to you, but I probably don’t actually care, I just want to – there is a difference) and work folks are usually pretty surprised at the Chemistry background. FOLLOWERS OF THIS BLOG won’t be surprised but, I friggen love Waffle House. That usually throws people for al oop.

40. Something that took you way too long to figure out: That I’m bi? I was on BC for so long I thought I was ace, so when I finally developed a drive in my late/mid-twenties it was sort of shocking to realize it’s only rarely set to hetero, and like, I still don’t know how to act on that. ALSO for years I had no idea there was a little arrow on your gas gauge to tell you which side the gas pump’s on – comes in super handy in rental cars.

41. Worst injury you’ve had? Physically? Fell out of a tree as a kid and snapped an arm bone in half – one half went on top of the other. Other things have happened that took longer to emotionally recover, but, physically that was the worst probably. Weirdly, I fell off of the roof with no injury, but…idk I’m weirdly durable.

42. Any morbid fascinations?: Snake venom. I could probably write a dissertation. 

43. Describe your sense of humor: I LOVE PUNS. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. I like ‘smart’ humor (puns are clever) and nerdy humor, but I don’t like mean humor. I also laugh at gallows humor a lot.

44. If you had to be born in another era/place, which would you choose?: Okay this is really hard because I would be useless in most other eras and I would miss indoor plumbing and women’s rights and people not regularly dying around me. I am probably biased by being interested in times with the best myths/stories. Ancient Egypt? Viking Age? Basically any time period in China or Japan because my US-centric world history studies seriously failed me they are a bit of a fascinating mystery. 

45. Something you are irredeemably bad at: LOL this would be a long list. (you said ‘thing’ singular, I am taking that as a friendly suggestion not a mandate) Push-ups (hypermobile elbows, okay). Cleaning. LOGISTICS AND PLANNING OH LORD. Editing my own work. SMALL TALK oh god I am the worst at small talk I even took a class on it trying to get better. Gracefully accepting compliments - how does one do that and not come off as obnoxious ;.;

46. Something that sucked but you’re glad you went through: Most recently, dumping a Really Good Guy. A past me would have just quietly let it fade into oblivion and that would have been worse. I think? 

47. Would you rather have a really godawful ugly tattoo in a place that is only slightly inconvenient to conceal with clothing (upper arm, thigh, etc.), or the coolest, most beautiful tattoo ever in the middle of your face? (Neither tattoo can be removed or concealed with makeup, and the ugly tattoo will deeply offend anyone who sees it.): lololol oh my gosh. I don’t like offending people. So. I guess pretty one on my face.

48. Are you more of an optimist or a pessimist?: Eeeeeeh.I guess optimist, but that’s mostly laziness.

49. What would be the most flattering compliment someone could give you?: That I have made their life better or brighter somehow. 

50. Something you feel people often misunderstand about you: I am simultaneously incredibly confident about things and incredibly craven about people! And that’s hard for people to get sometimes. Like, my writing I am wholly confident of and proud of to the point of arrogance – as a thing. But the moment someone talks to me about it I get petrified because oh god what if I, as a person say or do something that turns them off to the point where they can’t enjoy the writing (the thing).  It’s greatly exacerbated by the internet where I can’t read tone or facial expressions – but I’m still pretty bad about this offline too. Like, I hate even going to Chipotle or Qdoba where there isn’t a big line of people (if there’s a big line of people everything is hustling and bustling and moving along) – I greatly dislike social interactions that lack a script. But, put my project in front of a board of directors or the company president, and I will kick tush and take names. It’s a weird dichotomy, but that’s how I’m wired.

THIS WAS FUN. GOOD QUESTIONS

I TAG YOU, PERSON READING THIS.

[yoshi4sushi]

(purupurupuru) (purupurupuru) (click!) (COO!) (COO!)

 Happy Monday, minna-san! I hope everyone had a good weekend. It’s time to say sayonara to September and enter the autumn and spice season. I hope everyone is ready for spooky and haunts in October. Still pondering what costume to wear? You got plenty of time before HALLOWEEN! Be scary! Be funny! Today, we got plenty of news and goods to share with you so know the drill. First off, last week’s chapter was going from bad to frightening! The gang mourn for the loss of Pedro, but Jinbei perks them up reminding that instead of mourning, they must honor him his sacrifice by escaping Totland w/o hesitation. Meanwhile, Sanji, Chiffon, and Pudding are almost at Cacao Island so they can rush into making another wedding cake. At the end, poor Luffy is struggling his fight with Dogtooth who keeps throwing back everything w/ more brute force and size. How in the world is Luffy gonna defeat a billion bounty pirate who has similar powers as him? Let’s cheer him on this week with heart and soul. GO LUFFY! Next, this past weekend’s episode finally put an end to biscuit munchies. Luffy kept eating and eating until he finally uses his new gear 4th technique, Tank Man. With that, he finally send Cracker flying all across Whole Cake Island. His defeat has angered his siblings so they’re ready for revenge. Next week, Luffy and Nami finally reunites with Sanji, but it will not be friendly nor heartwarming. Luffy must now put with Sanji’s brute attacks. I hope everyone have the strength to hold off their tears to see these two friends fight. It’s a one hour special. DON’T MISS IT! Now on with the goods. FIGURINES! FIGURINES! Who wants to collect more? We some new figurines! First off, this week, tomorrow, arcades will be stocking the last Grandline DX Vinsmoke figurines. This time, it’s Niji and of course, Judge. Got your coins ready? ZIP IT! BEAT THAT CRANE! Next, Figure Arts Zero will release this new figurines of Reigu and Pudding. Websites will now take pre-orders for Reigu for those who live overseas. Try Amiami, Amazon, or any other official English hobby website. She will be released in March. Pre-orders for the figurine of Pudding will be updated soon. She will be released in February. Next, OP game app, Thousand Storm is having the Whole Cake Island campaign where you can now get Luffy and Sanji in their outfits from this season. If you get a lot points, you will get Shanks in his Strong World outfit. Next game is Treasure Cruise. They’re having the Dressrosa campaign. Win levels and see what characters you win. You can download the games on Apple Store. It’s available in English as well. Next, look who came over to visit. It’s none other than the coolest tower mascot of Japan, the one, the only, Tongari-san! He’s got some awesome and spooky news to tell us. Take it away my friend. Tongari-san says that more spooky stuff popped up at the tower. First, the Tongari Shop in the park are selling these cute Halloween badges of your fave characters. Next, the café will also have some ghoulish menu for everyone to enjoy. The café will be serving sparkling cola with orange sauce that will include a Straw Hat pumpkin picture. It will be random. Next, Sanji’s restaurant will be serving a special Halloween dinner. You must make a reservation ahead of time. This meal will only be served 10 days throughout the month. The meal will have a Halloween Macedonia fruit cocktail or sparkling wine. Appetizers will have pumpkin soup or salad. The main dish will be Mellorine Love lobster or tenderloin steak. You can only choose one, and you can’t make last minute changes. For dessert, you’ll be given some pumpkin sweets with some sweet cream, cookies, and fruit along with some chocolate powder pumpkin and ghost stencil. What a spooky yet fancy meal. If you order this meal, you’ll receive a free gift along with it. Also, the café has another new meal added to the menu. Franky and Luffy’s energy charged Gear second cola with super meat flavor French fries. For beverage, it will be coke with sweet red framboise syrup flavor on top of a metal mug with smoke coming out like Luffy’s gear mode. For the dish, it will have star shaped French fries with some fried chicken bacon & pepper. YOWZA! A SUPER meal you really can’t pass on. GUYS! You’re soaking the carpet. Sorry about that. They seriously can’t control their hunger. Anyway, if you order this dish, you’ll receive a free bromide card of Luffy with Franky. October birthday dishes has been leaked out, but we’ll announce it next week with better image quality. Last, but not least, take a pic with your fave characters from the show. Buggy and Puggy will be making their appearance again on Oct.6th and 20th. Luffy and Anne will be there on Oct.13th and 27th. The third floor will hand out photo tickets. It’s first come, first serve. Website has details on time and rules. Also, guess who’s birthday is approaching fast? I’ll give you a hint. He’s sexy, popular among the girls, and bad ass. You got it. It’s none other than the hottest pirate with a big heart, and my all-time fave, Trafalgar Law! His birthday is on Oct.6th. He will show up at the tower as well for photo shoots as well. Same, the tower will hand out tickets to get a photo with him and his loving friend, Bepo. He will show up on his birthday, and weekends until the end of Oct. Birthday button of him will be released soon. Don’t miss it! Moving on, to celebrate the OP Wano event in Kyoto, the Mugiwara Store will be open from Oct.11 to 16th. The store will sell these Kyoto themed goods at this store such as this eco-friendly tote bag, a long tengui handkerchief, and a mug that has Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji. Also, with Law’s birthday approaching, they will release new goods of him this week and also his birthday button. Also if you purchase goods over 1000 yen, you’ll get a free birthday bromide card of him. Next, last week, Samantha Thavasa has released new purses and goods of another OP collab. They also included new purses, wallets, etc. of Law, Sabo, Ace, Franky, and Brook. They also have more new stuff of Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Nami, and Chopper. They will take online order from overseas I think. The store will have a small statues of mini Merry boat and Ace at Harajuku. Next, websites will now take orders for a set of cool tattoos of Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Nami, Chopper, Law, Ace, and Hancock. It will be released in Dec. Next, with the one hour special approaching, the Japanese Yahoo website will have Luffy and Sanji on the main screen and you’ll get to hear their voices saying 10 phrases when you use the search link. GUA! What will they say? Tune in this Sunday. Next, we mentioned last week that Nippon Ham is having an OP campaign, and to commemorate it, they’ll give away some prizes including a set of delish meat groceries worth 5000 yen. Other prizes we mentioned will include a set of plates and an alarm clock. Sunday will commence the campaign. This involves in playing a game where you can play and win many points as much as you can on your smart phone. You can participate if you reside w/in Japan. Overseas is not possible. Next, DMM VR Theater is yet having another OP hologram show early next year. The gang and I went last year in Dec. It was really fun. They’re having a campaign. Retweet their post, and 20 winners will be chosen to win a prize. The event will have decorations and photo spots. Menu and ticket price will be updated later on. They will also have a mini store where they’ll sell original OP goods from Mugiwara Store. Title is The Metal: Memory of Marineford which hints we will see pirates and marines from the Marineford war season, and Bartolomeo will be joining the fun. The theater is located in Yokohama. We’ll leave a link. Moving on, for those who want to look cute and stylish, Peach John are restocking more pajamas and swim wear of your fave OP characters. Same like before, if you buys goods over 10,000 yen, you’ll get a free limited ed. folder of Nami and the others in their Peach John brand. They’ll accept overseas orders. We’ll leave a link. Next, reminder that the special OP episode of East Blue will be released in DVD on Nov.24th. Also, Here’s the new cover of the 2nd vol. of Whole Cake Island that has Sanji doing Diable Jamble attack. You can order it on Amazon. It will be released on the first week of Oct. Last, but not least, last week, the great pirate mangaka, Oda-sensei, held a takoyaki party at his house inviting his fave pals, the Mugiwara seiyuu, including Tomoko Naka (Ms. Father’s Day), Kotono Mitsuishi (Hancock) Katsuhisa Hoki (Jinbei), and Toru Furuya (Sabo). He also invited Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, and Maki Otsuki, who sings the first and second ending theme songs of OP. Ha ha ha ha! She and Tanaka-san (Luffy) are riding the mini train. GUA! Who knew his house could be a playground. Kappei-san (Ussop) really had too much to drink that he’s all over Tanaka-san. He really must be a heavy drinker. Ha ha ha ha! Them and Nakai-san (Zoro) with Naka-san (Ms. Father’s Day are hugging a giraffe statue. Hmm… Could it mean that it’s Oda-sensei’s fave animal. Kirin? Where’s Kaku when you need him as a hugging pole? HA! Phew! I think we covered everything. Before we end, Jump Festa will be held on Dec.16-17. Only 2 day event. News will be updated later on. That’s all we got for now. Tune in next week for more upcoming events and goods. Have a good week, and don’t stress yourself. Special thanks to Tongari-san for joining with us. We’ll see you next week, my friend. Kikko! Momon! Excellent job, boys! Let’s get some shut eye.

 Halloween Tower events: https://onepiecetower.tokyo/op_20th/halloween2017?lang=en#area_04?lang=en

Figurines: http://p-bandai.jp/item/item-1000117753/

Peach John: https://www.peachjohn.co.jp/pjitem/list/?_al=170412onepiece&count=60&outlet=include&sort=6&_dm=2&bid=170925opcom

Holographic show: https://vr-theater.dmm.com/schedule/onepiece-vr?utm_source=theater&utm_medium=twi&utm_campaign=0925

Samantha goods: https://online.samantha.co.jp/layout/feature/one_piece_2nd.html

[alibraryinmyluggage-blog]

My first impression of the Zaanse Schans was that is a little Smurf village. Only, decorated wooden houses are green and the whole landscape is dominated by large windmills.

One of the first things I noticed when getting off the Zaanferry was the smell. Partly sweet partly sour. Like something fermenting, not exactly unpleasant but I can’t quite place it. “Chocolate” I hear a lady behind me telling her friend. That doesn’t smell like any chocolate I know I think but turns out, she is right. After parking my bike (you can take your bike to the Zaanferry if you want to though I ended up only walking around) the first house that I notice is indeed a Cacaolab. A shop with a small added workshop section is right next to the pier and provides the fragrance ambience.

Some houses in the village are really tiny, rather a kiosk than an actual house. The cosy impression is further emphasized by the chicken and ducks waddling around in the bushes and in the canals and a mini-zoo in the backyard of the cheese shop. The overall impression is neat, like a village in the children’s book.

The first thing you see already from the boat, however, are the windmills. There are four windmills next to the landing and more in the distance. The ferry landing is between the tiny village on the right and the path the leads to the mills on the left.

About Zaanse Schans:

The Zaanse Schans is a neighbourhood of Zaandam, Netherlands. It’s approximately 20km from Amsterdam and is known for its historic windmills and a collection of wooden houses relocated to one open-air museum village.

The Zaanse Schans has several small museums and museum-shops, several windmills that are open for visitors and large Zaans Museum established in 1994 introducing area’s history and industries (there is a whole cookie factory linked to the museum).

Getting to Zaanse Schans:

Reaching Zaanse Schans is easy and you have various ways to get there. I took the Zaanferry as it was included in my I Amsterdam city card but you can buy tickets from the boat as well. The first ferry left at 10:00 AM (there are also transfers at 14:00 AM and 18:00 PM) During the summer the Zaanferry is going more frequently. The trip Zaanse Schans by ferry takes about 2hours and arrival point is right next to windmills and the village. You can take your bike to the Zaanferry.

To reach Zaanse Schans by public transport take the Rnet-bus 391 from the Central Station (about 40 minutes). A bus goes in every 15 minutes. The fastest way to reach Zaanse Schans is probably to take a train to Zaandijk (17minutes) and walk from there to Zaanse Schans (about 15 minutes).

Riding a bike to Zaanse Schans takes around one hour. There are no hills and the distance is about 20 km.

Windmills at the Zaanse Schans:

Windmills and the Netherlands are intertwined for more than just aesthetic reasons. The Netherlands is a land that is won from the ocean by hard work and the windmills were the technology that allowed Dutch people to do it. Windmills started out as water pumps and were later found to be useful to many other things.

Zaanse Schans has four large and still operational windmills. When you visit the Netherlands during the winter at least two of the four windmills in Zaans Schans are open at any given day. During the summer, from 24 March to 31 October, all four mills are open to visitors.

During my winter visit to Zaanse Schans (February) the two mills open happened to be the Saw Mill and the Dyestuff Mill.

Dyestuff Mill – De Kat

The first windmill that is open is for dyestuff. They grind down different minerals that among other things were used by artists like Van Gogh and Rembrandt to mix their own oil paints. It was not uncommon for artists to mix their own paints by mixing the pigments with oil, water, etc.

When I enter the mill huge, stoically rotating stones grinding white stones into a powder. The mill grinds material for the linoleum factory to make floor cover. While the stones are running white now there is an astonishing selection of different tone of historic pigments on display. The materials used are really creative and often toxic.

This mill allows access to the balcony surrounding the upper part of the windmill. Great photo spot and under-the-cloud weather give a dramatic look. From close up I look at the slowly rotating hands with wonder. The millstones under our feet weight 3 tons each (for the reference average car is 1-2 tons). While it is by no means windless around here it’s still amazing to think that it’s enough to move these monster-wheels and grind down stones.

De Kat – Dyestuff Mill. The three-ton stones doing their daily work. 

Saw Mill – Het Jonge Schaap

Next windmill cuts wood. The mill itself is rebuilt recently, 2005-2007. Many of the windmills were broken down when the technological development made it unprofitable to use them industrially. Het Jonge Schaap original windmill was constructed in 1680 and demolished at 1942. However, the mill was properly measured before the original construction was demolished allowing to construct a close replica.

Today it still cuts the wood same time as working as a museum introducing logging and sawmills history in the Zaanse region. While the first mill offered an opportunity to climb high, the sawmill has spread out horizontally. It has separate buildings with a museum shop and gardens with boats, rafts, tables-chairs for sitting and a flock of chicken scrabbling about.

Netherlands Theme Museums in Zaans Schans

The Zaans Schans have a wide range of museums and museum-shops. The area was known for industries and craftsmen. From 1961 to 1974 old buildings from all over the Zaanstreek were relocated to the Zaans Schans and it makes up a nice village.

The variety of museums in Zaans Schans is really amazing. Strolling along the narrow path between the green, wooden houses I venture into a baking museum-cafe, clogs museum-shop, barrel workshop, Time Museum. Anything from handling the raw materials all the way to exhibiting finest machinery at a time (clocks).

This kind of hand-carved clogs was usually an engagement gift from a groom to his bride to be.

In addition to small museum houses, most of the souvenir shops also have a museum room. It actually becomes tricky to tell the difference where the shop ends and museum starts and vice verse. The good side? Occasionally you get to sample things like in a cheese and mustard shop.

Zaans Museum

Zaans museum tells about the daily life of the Zaan region over the centuries and the exhibits include a lot of info about how things were made.  The museum makes use of many modern interactive methods. Their collection ranges from factory machines and product samples to an interactive windmill landscape that shows the number of windmills in the Netherland over the years. Also, a more traditional section with paintings and period pieces is exhibited. Altogether the collection is well varied.

If you are travelling with kids in the Netherland they may be tired of being dragged into museums. Zaans Museum has a whole cookie factory connected to it with an assembly line, chocolate mixing barrel and a chocolate wrapping machine. The last bit can children use themselves to wrap their own chocolate bar. I didn’t see any Umpa Lumpas around so the odds of turning blue should be minimal.

After the cookie factory experience, it’s time for me to head back to the ferry. It has been a busy day. With many small places to visit instead of a few large museums, the experience has been like the all-you-can-eat buffet of information and experiences. I’d definitely recommend a day trip to Zaans Schans if you look for a day trip from Amsterdam!

*I was a guest of the I Amsterdam for the Zaans Schans part of my visit in the Netherlands. I’m proud to be an honest and transparent blogger, all opinions expressed on ALIML are my own and a true review of my experience.

A Day Trip From Amsterdam: Zaanse Schans Windmills and Smell of Cocoa My first impression of the Zaanse Schans was that is a little Smurf village. Only, decorated wooden houses are green and the whole landscape is dominated by large windmills.