A beautiful summer day, after weeks of rain, cold winds from the North and overcast skies. A Saturday, and perfect for going out, enjoying the weather and exploring. Covid rules have been relaxed, and although the number of infected people has risen fast, we are still able to go out.
Belgium and Germany have suffered terrible losses because of floods, as peacefully meandering and gurgling brooks have been changed into wild rivers, the water destroying everything in its path, thundering through picturesque villages, causing houses to crumble like matchboxes, mudslides doing the rest and wiping out large sections of small towns. There is not only terrible loss of possessions, houses, goods, not to mention the infrastructure, but far worse loss of many lives, people having been buried under their own houses or swept away by the floods which took everyone by surprise. Because of the unusual amount of rain in the surrounding hills, the small and narrow streams couldn’t cope with all the water. Nor the big rivers, which had to deal with all this extra water from the many tributary brooks and streams, now roaring rivers. Along those rivers, towns and cities have been evacuated and several have been flooded. Those rivers eventually empty out into the North Sea, but downstream, more to the North and West, the land is flat and many provisions have been made in the past to give water more space. Dikes have been reenforced and heightened, water meadows no longer are enclosed by dikes so that they can be used as an overflow.In Woudrichem, no rubbish is visible. The water of the river is brown and muddy, the stream dangerously fast. Any pleasure boats, of which there are many during the summer season, are strictly forbidden. The current is too strong and pleasure boats might be hit by hidden rubbish. To my surprise, a ferry, an official means of public transport, is still sailing and mooring very carefully to let off cyclists and foot passengers.
The small foot ferry to a famous castle nearby, Loevestein, has stopped its service. The water level is too high, and the meadows with the footpath towards the castle may well be partly flooded. Mooring is impossible anyway. In spite of all the devastation, disaster and loss of life further upstream, the town looks as pleasant and cheerful as ever, the boards closing the walls if the water would reach a dangerous level, still absent, the quays half flooded by the water, cyclists enjoying themselves.
I walk around the battlements, enjoy some nice freshly fried fish nuggets form a stall on the now narrow quayside, drink something in one of the few curb side cafes. The well-kept houses have pots of flowers and flowering shrubs next to their front doors. The street names are a reminder that once this town counted several monasteries and nunneries.
After a few hours I
drive on to Zaltbommel, a much bigger town, also fortified with strong walls
and gates. It is situated on the same river Waal, a bit more upstream. The
water meadows here are in places used as parking areas. Big yellow notice
boards tell car owners that they park at their own risk as the water may
quickly rise and cars may be swallowed up by the river. I do find a spot which seems fairly safe, as
long as the water level does not rise all of a sudden.
This town too goes
back a long way and is historically very interesting. A walk along the river
front with its high and strong walls is very pleasant. The water meadows, popular
with hikers, have disappeared under water. Only big river barges with cargo can
navigate this now wild river.
The purpose of my
visit is an organ recital in the imposing main church with its beautiful pipe
organ. Many other friends of the organist have also travelled this way to
attend this concert after almost 1,5 years of absence of any form of culture. Because
of Covid regulations chairs are placed far apart, but there is enough space for
everybody in this cathedral sized historic church. Although we have all heard
most of the music before, it is a huge pleasure to be able to attend an organ
recital again, especially here.
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