First we dropped the bikes off at the local bike shop to give them a bit of an overhaul. Sorely needed after more than 700km. Last night we did some exploring and found the house that George's great-grandad used to live in, the wind mill he used to walk past on the way to work and the Glass factory that he worked at for 40 years. We also explored the remnant of the fortified wall, and peered into all the windows of the glass exhibits (great when they are shut, can't buy anything even if you like it). This morning we pretty much repeated the same thing, but this time with camera in hand. Booked a tour to see inside the glass factory (tomorrow) and asked at the local VVV (think AA and tourist information combined) about where to find the old cemetary.
Did we want the jewish one? No, they definitely weren't Jewish, so we were directed to the large cemetary on the fringes of Leerdam. We did find some van Meeuwen stones there, but not the one we were looking for. Could it have been removed? In NL you hire a plot for a set amount of time, lets say 10 years. After that time your family can choose to hire the plot for another 10 years, otherwise the grave will be dug up, remnants removed (and we presume burned) and the headstone either destroyed or recycled (letters ground off). This is totaly alien to NZ and English cemetary managment and feels quite wrong to us. But hey it is a small country with a large population and they recycle heaps here.
After a quick lunch we visited a 89 year old friend of the van Meeuwen family who used to play in the van Meeuwen house. He provided lots of useful information about how things looked and what went on. He also showed us a series of three books about Leerdam that featured heaps of photos of both his family and the van Meeuwen family. His Dad had helped the author put the picture books together. So after the visit, straight to the bookshop to buy the set (heavy on a bike, but worth it for the photos and info) and then to pick up the newly tweaked bikes. Dinner in the evening was fun as we met up with George's cousin and her husband.
The next morning we cycled to the correct cemetary (the combined Jewish and old one) and took photos of George's great-grandads grave stone. The Leerdam Glass museum was still closed and because we were cycling in jeans the saddles were harder than usual. So back to the bikeshop to buy some gel saddles. They are great on the dutch paved streets and cobblestones.
The glass museum was really interesting http://www.nationaalglasmuseum.nl/. I hadn't realised just how many different types of glassware they have produced since 1878. Too many things to take it all it. I particularly liked all the different shapes and colours of the functional (mostly factory pressed) glassware. There were several interesting arty and hand blown exhibitions too. While we were in the Museum a tropical downpour drenched all the poor hapless souls that happened to be outside. We decided to forego the outside exhibits! The bike bags proved that they really were waterproof. In the museum we were issued with ipods guidebooks (free) with information, audio and video about many of the exhibits. George tried out all the other functions and he really wanted to take it home, but we were good and handed them back. It took more than 2 hours to wander around the museum, and I'm sure we've still missed seeing heaps of things.
Then it was off to the glass factory for the tour (http://www.leerdamkristal.nl/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Leerdam_Crystal). That was well worth the money too. We weren't allowed to go into two of the factories. One produces 3.5 million bottles per day for all sorts of end uses, including beers such as Heineken, Amstel, Grols etc. A truck leaves the factory every 10 minutes loaded up with bottles. The bottles are made with 80% recycled glass which is the highest percentage of recycled glass in Europe. The other factory makes molded glassware and crystalware. The crystal is up to 30% lead, which gives it high clarity with a clear bell-like ring. About 142 million glasses are produce per year. Each bottle and each glass is designed and developed in consultation with designers and architects. It can take many months, and sometimes years, to design exactly what the clients wants and Leerdam Royal Glass prides itself on producing unusual but beautiful designs.
We were allowed to go into the oldest of the buildings where they hand-blow the more artistic pieces. It was awesome to think that George's great-grandad and various other members of his family would have walked throught this building too. I always like watching glass being blown, and these guys were particularly good. They are all master-glass-blowers, but one was chief blower and he spend nearly an hour crafting a large assymetric vase. Facinating to watch.
Then back on our bikes direction Haaften to stay with George's cousin. Her husband was home and kindly took us to see the street that my Grandmother and Great and Great-great grandpartents used to live in Raamsdonkveer. The whole street burned down after lightning hit a reed roof back in 1909, and was rebuilt rapidly after that. Great-great-grans house was flattened and she walked for 2 hours via back roads (to avoid the raging fire) towing a goat and carrying a breadknife (used to cut the rope tethering the goat) to Great-grans place. After that we explored two historic fortified towns Woudrichem and Heusden. Great fun and awesome shapes - check them out on Google Earth. Dinner was again heaps of fun, and another cousin of George's turned up from Ede with all sorts of old family photos. Late night.
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