Our lovely province of Fryslân

Fryslân has besides it's own official language, "it Frysk", it's own flag. Fryslân has a few characteristics, through which it distinguishes itself from the other provinces.

You will only find mounds in the provinces of Fryslân and Groningen. Islands, from the time, when there were no seadikes yet. History tells us about dambursts, from where the "Wielen" exist. These are not to measure depths, on the places where water came through the dike.

The landscape has a great variety. We know the "Greidhoek", known for it's green meadows, where our black-and-white cows graze. The "Bouwhoek", where we conquered the clay-ground from the sea. Here is where patatoes, vegetables and wheat are grown. The "Friese Wouden", where the mixed farms are situated. Where farmers both have cattle and grow crops. Then we have our woods and the bog-areas.

The landscape further stands out for it's lakes and canals, by which you sure can't forget the bridges.

Bridge, Leeuwarden-west.

Waiting for Fonejacht-bridge.

Because the land once belonged to the church, monastries were all over the province. We still have some of the "Stinzen and States", large mansions and fortres-like buildings. In the direct area of these buildings grow very specific plants.

Further we may say, that the Frisian pedigree-cattle is world-famous. In Leeuwarden, the statue, to the honour of our own Frisian Cow, "Ús Mem" is situated and to be admired. Besides, the last couple of decades the Frisian horse is back in the lift.

The Frisian horse in action.

Ús mem.

A Frisian is a proud human being and good for his word. Where ever in the world they are, they always look for each others company. That's why all over the whole world, there are "Fryske Krites", where they gather every month to speak their mothers language and keep it in honour. The national drink, the Beerenburg (70 herbs on alcohol) is not only loved on special occasions.

The Frisians have their own typical sports, like "keatsen", where you slap with your flat hand a tiny ball to the other party. Then we have "fierljeppen", pole-jump, but then as far as you can over a ditch. Not to forget the "Skûtsjesilen", sailing the oldfashioned way in a contest.

Besides that, every year there is the "Elfstedentocht" (11-cities-tour). A tour of about 200 km. You can either do it on a push-bike, by foot, in your car or on your motorbike. Because Fryslân is less populated, it is famous with bikers. Now a days you can even do the "Elfstedentocht" with your canoe. The "Elfstedentocht on skates in only held when we have 20 centimetres of ice in the ditches and canals. When the frost sets in, all the shipping is stopped, to stimulate the freezing to a certain thickness of the ice.