We are in the “Venice of the North”, as Giethoorn is sometimes called, and have timed it well! The sun has come back out and it is almost summerly.
Giethoorn is a major tourist destination with busloads of people from all corners of the world visiting each year. 
Lucky for us most come a earlier in the year when the little canals are full of electric hire boats and people bumping into each other all over the place. Even now in the middle of the day there are plenty of dodgum drivers around. Therefore we chose the early morning and the late afternoon hours, when there are no tourist boots around, to cruise the canals in our tender.
We visited the “Olde Maat” museum to learn how life was for the farmers, peat diggers and fishermen in this former isolated village. 
We also took a tour in our tender into the Weerriben Wieden National Park surrounding Giethoorn. Here the environment is greatly undisturbed and birds can nest in the tranquility of small, reed lined canals and wooden groves. Beautiful!
In the village we were lucky to see one of the roofs being re-thatched and the local postman negotiating the few narrow paths and wooden bridges by bicycle.
Today we are leaving for our winter harbour and the next two days will be busy with painting, cleaning and packing.
When it comes to the last days on the Freshwater, our feelings are always a little mixed.
But we are now looking forward to some days with Thomas and Vera, a fortnight in Morocco and then, of course, embracing our children and grandchildren at home!