You can also visit the Zuiderzeemuseum that is nearby. This open-air museum consists of wonderfully preserved buildings dating back to the 15th century. Residents in period costumes add to the flavor and you can tour the historic shipyard, go into the structures, watch clog making, and sample smoked herring and visit the windmills. The museum focuses on the period between 1800-1932 and boasts over 130 dwellings, stores and workshops.

In the town of Hoorn, named for its horn-shaped harbor, you'll see another place steeped in maritime history. Hoorn was the headquarters for the Dutch East India Company. Stroll the narrow streets and note how the homes and other buildings tilt forward from the roof down. The structures were built with a form of seashell that was porous, and in order to keep the rain from seeping in, the buildings were angled forward. The practice is prevalent throughout Holland.

Several other items that are widespread in The Netherlands are cheese, flowers and windmills and the Viking Pride assures that you don't miss any of them. The village of Edam, replete with canals and drawbridges, is best known for the round cheese that bears its name. You van visit a restored traditional cheese market, or simply step into one of the many shops along the streets to buy some cheese for a souvenir or to snack on during the tours.

From Edam, it's on to Marken, a picturesque island fishing village connected by a dike to the mainland. Here, you can watch as villagers still practice the art of making wooden clogs, though fishing is still a prime industry. As it is in Volendam, a neighboring busy little harbor filled with fishing vessels of all sizes and shapes and where you can still find fishermen dressed in traditional caps and baggy-legged trousers and villagers who wear the familiar Dutch costumes in honor of their heritage. Many Hollanders come here from the larger cities to enjoy a day out near the water. They sit on benches on the waterfront basking in the sun, shop in the specialty stores or enjoy a lunch at one of the outdoor cafes. It reminds one of places such as Sag Harbor in New York, or Cape Cod, or Mystic, Connecticut. The towns also illustrate Holland's deep and abiding connection to the sea. The historic windmills that survive to this day vividly demonstrate that connection. The windmills provide a revealing glimpse into Holland's centuries-old struggle with the sea. (CONTINUE...)