The ferry to Zaandam

July 24, 2026

The Windmill De Adriaan was built on one of the old city walls. Like many of the windmills in built-up areas, the mill is higher than the surrounding buildings to more effectively catch the wind, which blows almost constantly in the Netherlands. The mill was rebuilt in 2000 with the same design and materials when a researchers found a document from hundreds if years before requiring the city to rebuild the mill in the event of fire (which had destroyed the mill in 1932).

Now a great museum, the mill had been used for grain, tobacco processing, sawing and other purposes over the centuries (1). The central shaft did not reach to ground level (as in Kinderdijk where the shift needed to reach water level). Grain was hoisted to, and lowered from, the milling room using gravity and a pulley system. 

A bike path followed the Spaarn river through the lovely dike-top town of Spaandam. At the Noordzee Canal ferry crossing, we had a nice chat with a family from Alberta who rented bikes in Haarlem (2) and were also headed to Zaan Shaans. The north side bike path lead along a boat canal. Turning east, we were in Zaandam in the northern suburbs of Amsterdam. 

The destination for today was Zaan Shaans, a series of mills and historic buildings on the eastern bank of the Zaan River. The mills here currently operate milling grains, processing chocolate and sawing wood and have shops selling the wares produced. The town of Zaandijk (3) still has a cocoa processing plant, the smell suffusing throughout the town. Being a day-trip destination from Amsterdam, we had trouble finding a restaurant opened after 6:00, eventually enjoying Nepalese cuisine after a 16 mile ride.

(1) In New England, such mills were powered by flowing rivers. Being essentially flat, the Netherlands had no such rivers, relying on the wind for power.

(2) Regular pedal bikes, not e-bikes, to the disappointment of their teenage son. 

(3) At least three places share similar names; Zaandam (the biggest), Zaan Shaans (with the mill complex and museums), and Zaandijk (on the west shore of the river).

Windmill De Adriaan (originally 1779)

Molen De Adriaan, Haarlem

Haarlem views from mill platform 

The working parts of the de Adriaan grist mill

North along the River Spaarn

Lock at Spaarndam

North of Spaarndam

On the ferry scross the North Sea Canal

Water control tower on the boat canal

In Zaandam

Zaanshans windmill complex

Meelmolen De Bleeke Dood (Pale Death)  is painted glossy light green

Mill complex at dusk

Waxing gibbous moonrise

Steam emerging from chocolate factory in the background gave the town a nice smell