Hard to believe as it is, Ransdorp once was the region's powerbase, and in the early 16th century the Ransdorpers set out to build a church that matched their domineering ambitions. ![]() Ransdorp What's up with the place names in this region? 'Ransdorp' to a Dutch speaker sounds like 'Rancid Village', but surely there's a better explanation for the odd-sounding name. It will whisk you across the water to explore the rest of Waterland, including the towns of Broek in Waterland and Monnickendam, outside the Amsterdam city limits. Holysloot also has what must be the world's smallest ferry: just large enough for four bicycles and a skipper. The village is small, with cute wooden houses, a white church, and a single restaurant, popular at weekends with in-the-know Amsterdammers. No surprise that you'll find many a 'sloot' (ditch) here. Holysloot Holysloot is what first caught our attention, when dreaming away of unknown destinations, looking at that municipal transport map. And bring some sunscreen, if you're here on one of the three days a year that can be classified as 'summery'. This little corner of Amsterdam contains three villages that can be strung together for a leisurely day trip, ideally by bike. If you did, one bus line will have stood out, line 30, whose terminus is in the far north east in a place called Holysloot. IF YOU HAVE spent, like Minor Sights has, a disproportionate amount of time waiting for an Amsterdam tram, you may have tried killing some time by studying the public transport map conveniently displayed at every stop, imagining the wild trips you could take iaround the capital. They are just outside the Amsterdam ring road (A10), between the city proper and the IJsselmeer lake. These villages are part of Amsterdam Noord, the city district just north of the IJ, the body of water behind Central Station. Looking like a 17th century Dutch painting, this is a great introduction to the Dutch countryside- all within (rented) biking distance from the city center. There is hardly a bigger contrast than between Amsterdam's oh-so-picturesque, tourist-thronged canal belt, and these rural villages and their surrounding countryside. ![]() A rural part of Amsterdam of water, farms and cows: typical Dutch countryside, within the city limits.
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