Marken

Trijntje is a born and bred Markse and super proud of 'her' island. "I still feel like I'm on holiday every day. I really never leave here!" She was born in one of the most special places on the former island; the Horse of Marken. Her parents were lightkeepers here and Trijntje loved regularly helping turn the lights on and off in the lighthouse as a little girl.

"I grew up around beauty. The boats, the calm, the storm, the lapping water, the changing skies and the creeping ice. It's all equally beautiful." For about 12 years, Trijntje has been a guide on the island, sharing her passion with the many visitors. "I like to tell people what life is like on Marken in reality. Many visitors have a certain idea about the island, which is not always correct. I like to show them how it is. I tell them about the harbour and what the possibilities and dangers of the water around the peninsula were. I show them how houses used to be built on stilts and why that was so. And I show them that we really are not as isolated as many people think. We also have a supermarket and a bus service."

Pride for the island is not just about all the beauty on display. Trijntje also enjoys wearing the island's costume. "I am a member of the music society and when we have a performance, we all wear traditional costume. That's like our uniform." She also pulls out the costume while guiding and on certain holidays. For King's Day and 5 May, there is even a special "orangery costume".

There are so many places on Marken that should not be missed during a visit; the harbour, the Marker Museum, the Kerkbuurt and, of course, Viewing House Sijtje Boes. "One of my most favourite spots on the island is at the Rozenwerf. It's lovely and quiet here and the view of the 12 icebreakers from the bench on the dike is really beautiful."

But Trijntje is also super enthusiastic about Marken's immediate surroundings. "When I get on my bike, I like to head towards Monnickendam and quietly cycle back to Marken via Overleek, Broek in Waterland and Zuiderwoude. The landscape here is SO beautiful and varied. The quiet of the farmland is interrupted by super picturesque spots like Overleek teahouse and Broek in Waterland with its pretty cottages. There is so much beauty here and that just a stone's throw from Amsterdam....."