Something different, but nice

[Emiel]

Hello all,

As you have mentioned, I've not been writing a lot lately on here.

One of the reasons is, that I'm busy with an open air drama play in our little town.

It is organised by the local mill comittee, who try to gain funds to keep our traditional dutch wind mill fit for future.

The story plays around the Monastery in our town at the time the steam tram car was introduced in our village.

To get this on the rails, the centre of the village is transformed back to 1908 for some weeks completely with rail track and steam tram engine etc.

I like to show you some pictures







We are expecting to get about 5000 visitors for the play in our 1800 people village.

More information (for dutch readers) on www.vaticaanopstelten.nl

and more pictures on http://sjaaksmeenk.hyves.nl under "fotos"


The guy with the bush hat is me.

Best regards

Emiel

[Bensdexta]

Very professional. Looks like a lot of fun

What does "Vaticaan op Stelten" mean - Vatican on stilts!!?

[Emiel]

Hello Ben,

"op stelten" is a dutch phrase meaning something like "in panic" or "in trouble". Litteraly it is "on stilts" indeed.

Best regards

Emiel

[Dandy Dave]

That sure is a grand little puffer belly. Dandy Dave!

[Bensdexta]

"op stelten" is a dutch phrase meaning something like "in panic" or "in trouble". Litteraly it is "on stilts" indeed.

Perhaps because the water is rising and Holland is low..?

[Brian]

Even if the sea rose 50m Holland would still be dry!

The Dutch do not believe in giving land back to the sea without a fight! I am SO impressed with their engineering feats when I drive to Harlingen in the North or down to Henk in Arnemuiden (sp), travelling over a dual carriageway and cycle tracks built on top of the sea defences.

Not like us, happily letting Norfolk and the whole East Anglian coast disappear into the sea.

When is your play Emiel? Any time now or is it nearer the Medo festivals? We have just found out that there is an accordian festival in Meddo at the same time as the tractor one.

[Emiel]

Hello Brian, and others,

The play is next week on 13, 14, 15 and 16th may and then the other week on 21, 22 and 23rd of may.

Our part of holland is way above the actual sea level. When the water really gets higher (for who believes it will be within 20 years) it might be Arnhem at Sea or something like that, but my region will be still dry.

Best regards

[Bensdexta]

Our part of holland is way above the actual sea level. When the water really gets higher (for who believes it will be within 20 years) it might be Arnhem at Sea or something like that, but my region will be still dry.

I was speculating as to why being 'on stilts' in Dutch means you are in trouble. I thought rising water might be an explanation ....

[EddieJ]

Wow my kids would love living there.

When the water really gets higher (for who believes it will be within 20 years) it might be Arnhem at Sea or something like that, but my region will be still dry.

Hmm, cant see the science of the whole 'seas rising' theories. Ice has a greater density than water (but still floats - magic stuff) but if you put ice cubes in water and check the volume before and after they melt the volume doesnot change. If the ice caps melt the seas will rise due to the higher water temerature and ice melting from land mass and we are talking a 5cm rise globally.

[henk]

I think I will have to move or buy large boots.

Good luck with the play Emiel. You are all taking things seriously when I see the stage setting.
Over here in Zierikzee they play sometimes historical play’s.
Is the local television interested? Then I will see you on RegioTV.

[Emiel]

Hello Henk,

We've allready had some visits from tv gelderland. And there is something available on youtube i've heard.

May be TV G is here tomorrow again or tuesday.

Regards

Emiel

[Oscar]

Nice!!

Tramlines like that were all over Holland up until the '50s, at which time most went out of service and were broken up. Some survived as museum lines, such as the Hoorn-Medemblik line or the Goes-Borssele line. Indeed, in Emiel's region there were tramlines and railway lines galore, the last remnant of which was the Doetinchem-Zelhem line which I believe was broken up in the '60s.



^---Tramlines in blue, railway lines in grey. These days, only the railway line Arnhem - Doetinchem - Winterswijk - Zutphen remains. Source: http://www.fietsenindeachterhoek.nl/traminleiding.html

Through my own town of Laren ran the infamous Gooische Stoomtram, which operated lines from Hilversum to Laren, Blaricum, Bussum, Huizen, Naarden, Muiden, Diemen and Amsterdam. My wife's grandfather worked on the trams all of his life. I never got to see the trams trundle through Laren, the network was broken up in the late '50s .

[Brian]

We also had trams and tram ways but also "trolley buses" which ran on normal roads, in the cities like Norwich, with electric motors, and picked up their power from overhead wires. And yes, I can remember them!

The most famous tramway of all ran for miles in Norfolk. It ran through the fields to the Wissington Sugar Factory near Stoke Ferry and alongside the canal through Outwell and Upwell to Wisbech. It collected beet straight from the fields and carried them into the factory. It also carried passengers and goods from Wisbech into the fens.

Why should it be the most famous tram line of all time? Well it ran by the house of the Rev. Audrey and gave him the inspiration for "Thomas the Tank Engine" and all the characters in that series of children's favorites. They are still my favorite stories today! Sad is it not>

[Oscar]

We also had trams and tram ways but also "trolley buses" which ran on normal roads, in the cities like Norwich, with electric motors, and picked up their power from overhead wires.

Those are still in operation in Arnhem!



As you can see, there's even a very modern version of it.

[Emiel]

last night, try out night.

[Brian]

That's not our favorite frites shop on fire is it Emiel?

[Oscar]

last night, try out night.

Awesome! Wonderful!