Zeeland

The landscape architecture student organization along with some other students organizations put together a excursion to the province of Zeeland in the southwest of the country.  This area was historically made up of islands in the Rhine river delta where it empties into the north sea.  But, after a huge deadly flood in 1953 (I think it was a thousand-year storm), all but one of the channels were dammed in a project called Delta Works, which has been declared one of the seven wonders of the modern world.  Most of the dams are just man-made dunes, but one is an enormous gate called Oosterscheldekering, which is usually open and closes only when storms threaten the area. 

The area here is similar to the situation in New Orleans because almost all of the western half of the Netherlands is a few meters below sea level.  Now there are apparently some dutch engineers and architects working on a new flood management system for New Orleans.

Oosterscheldekering 
This is a tower that was rebuilt more inland as the sea level rose.
Views from the top.


And inside.



Another view of the gate.

This jellyfish was already dead.

This was an old windmill, I think it still operates, that has a classic Dutch pancake restaurant attached to it.

Food was very good.  The leaves on the floor were interesting and made it feel like fall.