A Peaceful Ancient Village
Tourists come to 
The bus stopped. We got off the bus, took a few steps, and we were already at the village’s welcome gate. Two tall, strong, blonde girls raised their cameras to take pictures. They are quite observant, knowing who is traveling in pairs and who is traveling alone.
After taking the photos, they pointed to a row of pictures pinned on a board – probably from the previous group. One of the women said, “When you leave, you can take a photo like this.” Just pay 2 euros for each photo.
A way to extract money from tourists without causing pain! But now they surely earn less, as most tourists use smartphones to “snoop.”
When asked what would happen if she didn’t want to get married, she gently replied, “It doesn’t matter!”
Zaanse Schans is located in the city of Zaandam, not far from the capital Amsterdam of the Netherlands. It consists of ancient architecture interspersed with new, faux-antique structures. This colorful village was built with houses typically made of wood and windmills from the surrounding villages, clearly with the purpose of creating a tourist area. The houses, of course, follow traditional Dutch architecture with green wooden walls, white windows, red tiled roofs, and chimneys rising high above the rooftops.
The Dutch tourism industry also added a windmill museum to the village, showcasing various artifacts.
related to windmills from different periods. They built several small museums, a display shop, and demonstrations of traditional wooden shoe production. And they introduced the traditional cheese-making process, mainly Gouda.
Through that, the Dutch tourism industry has helped preserve the heritage left by their ancestors. Two birds with one stone. Thanks to that, Zaanse Schans has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Regarding the clogs for sale, there are very small pairs made into phone charms, some larger ones that fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, and others that resemble regular shoes. Especially, there are pairs made as large as small boats displayed outside the house, with seats against the wall for guests to take photos.
The wooden clogs with their upturned toes, resembling the bow of a boat, are tied to a historical period and hold spiritual significance for the Dutch. Because many areas of this country are below sea level, the land is always wet, and the people use wooden clogs instead of leather shoes for convenience in walking.
