Schiermonnikoog

Schiermonnikoog is the smallest occupied island in the north of the Netherlands; situated in the Provence of Friesland. It is popular for its tranquillity and space. The island has a minimal amount of cars. This biggest area of this versatile island is a National Park, covered in dunes, beach, forest and farm land. In 1989, Schiermonnikoog was declared one of twenty National Parks in the Netherlands. Half of all the plants and flowers named in the Dutch Flora guide are found on the island. Schiermonnikoog is also knows for its bird population.

RR: Monthly favourite surprise RR - September 2025
Date: Sept 27

Lemmer

Lemmer lies adjacent to the IJsselmeer and the Frisian Lakes and is one of Friesland's best-known surface water sports locations. Lemmer is a bustling lakeside resort in the summer months. The marina of Lemmer is one of the largest in the Netherlands.

RR: April alternative RR
Date: April 9

Eisinga Planetarium

Located in a modest house within the historic centre of Franeker, the Royal Eise Eisinga Planetarium is the oldest continuously operating planetarium in the world. Built between 1774 and 1781, this accurately working model of our solar system provides an up-to-date and realistic image of the positions of the Sun, the Moon, the Earth and the five other planets that were known at the time: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. The planets revolve around the Sun in real time and the distance between the planets is at scale. The model fills the entire ceiling of the room, making it one of the earliest predecessors of the ceiling and projection planetariums of the 20th and 21st centuries. To this day, it is open to the public and used as an educational centre dedicated to astronomy.

Unesco: Eisinga Planetarium in Franeker
RR: Unesco RR
Date: August 21

Waterpoort in Sneek

The Waterpoort is a water gate, a gate in a defensive wall that connects a city to a waterway. It is situated in Sneek. In the 15th and 16th century, a defensive wall had been built around Sneek. The style of the gate, now the symbol of Sneek, can be described as Manierist.

RR: September alternative RR
Date: Sept 1

Ijlst

Jlst is located in Southwest Friesland and is primarily known as an overnight base for water sports. IJlst is a small city in Southwest Friesland and one of the Frisian eleven cities since 1268. The city was always known for its shipbuilding and trading position. The city thanks its name to a river that used to run through IJlst, the old Ee.

RR: 10 Countries RR
Date: July 10

Woudagemaal Lemmer

The Woudagemaal in Lemmer is the largest steam-powered pumping station ever constructed and the only steam-powered pumping station in the world that is still in use. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998.

Unesco: Ir.D.F. Woudagemaal (D.F. Wouda Steam Pumping Station)
RR: 10 Countries RR (20)
Date: July 9

Friesland

Friesland, historically known as Frisia, is a province of the Netherlands located in the northern part of the country. It is situated west of Groningen, northwest of Drenthe and Overijssel, north of Flevoland, northeast of North Holland, and south of the Wadden Sea. The sailbot is called a 'skûtsje', a Frisian sailing boat of the type tjalk or Dutch barge, originally an ordinary cargo boat, but today a prized ship and one of the icons of Frisia.

Distance: 235 km
Travel time: 4 days

Sunset

A sunset from Friesland, Netherlands  'Birds  above the Wadden at Holwerd'
This card must have gotten lost on the way. 36 days is a long time of travelling 😱

Distance: 81 km
Travel time: 36 days

Greetings from Friesland

5 cards today! First one is from Friesland, a province in the north of the Netherlands and part of the ancient, larger region of Frisia. Its capital is Leeuwarden.
The province is famous for its speed skaters, with mass participation in cross-country ice skating when weather conditions permit. When winters are cold enough to allow the freshwater canals to freeze hard, the province holds its traditional Elfstedentocht (Eleven cities tour), a 200 kilometers ice skating tour.

Distance: 219 km (136 miles)
Travel time: 6 days