Believe it or not, this place is located in the most densily populated region (Zuid-Holland) of the most densily populated European large country (The Netherlands).

Picture taken with a Pentax K200D and 50 mm manual objective (this is my entry for the ColorChallenge - Blue Friday)

When the sky is clear, and I wish to escape it all, this is one of the main spots where I seek refuge. I just hop on my bicycle, and twenty minutes later, I am settling down in a kind of mini natural reserve. This place was designed successfully as a haven for birds to rest during their migrations.

The map below is a map of the population density in the world. Do you see the darkest point in Europe? This is the Netherlands.

[Source]

Now let's zoom to realize that this picture was taken in one of the most dense region of the country!

[source]

And this scenery is not the only place like this in the area! The region is filled with polders, canals, forests, public and wild parks, small natural reserves as well as the typical Dutch countryside with windmills every mile. Wherever you live in the region, at a maximum of 5-10 km from you (i.e. accessible by bicycle), there is a place where you can go and really feel surrounded by nature.

I find it truly amazing how The Dutch managed their urbanism. Just take a 2 x 5-lane local motorway during peak hours, or go shopping on a Saturday, and you easily realize that you are in one of the most densely packed places in the world. Yet, paradoxically, it is a great place to live for nature lovers.

Kudos for the Dutch! They are true geniuses when it comes to urbanism and preserving natural environments and wild life despite very high population densities.

I'm really glad to live here !

Hi,
I’m @muphy,
My life revolves around music production, teaching sciences, and discovery through travel.
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