March 27, 2009: Cows in Boats

No, not photoshopped, and (apparently) you can still see this happen at the right time of year. I bought this postcard in Giethoorn, a village in the Netherlands. In the old part of the village there are no roads, and all transport is by water. These cows are being taken from their winter barn to the summer fields, and the only way to get there is by boat. I can't imagine what it must be like trying to get a cow on the boat for the first time... but these cows look pretty cool with it.

(sandy, separately, images don't show up in iotd blog view if they are attachments. Until a moderator notices and puts them into the cellar image hosting.)

cool, sandy, thanks. I suspect they coat the boat with superglue immediately prior to loading the cows.

OK, so we've got the meat and the liquid, all we need are a few veggies for a nice stew..... or it the guy in the hat about to skewer them all with that pole and make a delicious kebab fit for a giant?

Good one sandy, thanks.

Cows, like most critters, will follow their food anywhere. Notice their all chowing down. However, I imagine the first trip or two with a calf or young heifer could be much more exciting.


Hey, you don't suppose they're bait, do you?

I want a boatful of cows!

That reminds me of the Isle of Mann Ferry.


(It steams and comes out of Cowes)

They are a little reminiscent of sushi, but i'm too tired to photoshop the chopsticks.....

Chopsticks disguised as oars?

could be...

Do they have a poop deck?

They are being taken to feed the alien overlords.

One of the weirdest things I ever saw was a boat full of sheep. No idea where they were taking them, but most of them jumped out and swam after it! I didn't know sheep could swim... where do they learn

When those cows come home, Mom is gonna tan their hides for taking the boat.

I misread this thread as Cows in Boots.

I am disappointed.

the milk float is coming

It looks like they tied all their tails to their back legs. Can't have cows tipping the boats. Even though many of them may have been tipped themselves.

We could milk this 'til the cows come home.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spudcon Do they have a poop deck?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rossini One of the weirdest things I ever saw was a boat full of sheep. No idea where they were taking them, but most of them jumped out and swam after it! I didn't know sheep could swim... where do they learn

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheMercenary It looks like they tied all their tails to their back legs.

Ever see a cow that did not have it's tail out? They move non-stop. Maybe the docked their tails before leaving shore.

Next thing you know there'll be Pigs in Space.

Or monkeys. Wait, we already did that.

Pigs in space was already done too.

ORLY?

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce They should replace all those light bulbs, along each shore, with LEDs to save juice.

I checked it out on Google Earth, and it really is served mostly only by canals. There are roads that will take you to large parking lots within walking distance of the village, but the canals attached to a nearby lake are what go right up to each property. Pretty cool.

Could they be marines? This could be the start of an invasion...

Quote:

Originally Posted by glatt I checked it out on Google Earth, and it really is served mostly only by canals. There are roads that will take you to large parking lots within walking distance of the village, but the canals attached to a nearby lake are what go right up to each property. Pretty cool.

Incidentally, there is a similar roadless region in Germany, the Spreewald, about 100km east of Berlin. It's in the ex GDR, and was popular as a tourist spot for East Germans. I lived in Berlin for 5 years, and this is now a popular day or weekend trip from there. It is a much bigger area than Giethoorn, and has a canal network of hundreds of km. The Spreewald is the home to the only officially recognised ethnic minority in Germany (the Sorbs/Wends - a Slavish people) with their own language (the second official language of Germany, Sorbish).

When you hire a kayak (as one does there) you get a "road map" of the canals, which is signposted at intersections just as roads are. We saw locals going about on boats (motor boats), as well as postmen on boats, a police speedboat, and wheelie bins being collected by boat. There are locks (local lads run them for tips, or some you do yourself) and cafes and even otters (but we didn't see any).

Last time I went there was in 1999. I was pleased to see East German business habits lived on here! The only place to rent a boat was in the campground. You rented by the day, and you had to have the boat back by 6pm. As it was summer, of course everyone made the most of their rental, and everyone returned at 6pm. The only takeaway food joint in town was also at the campground (same place that rented out the boats) and - guess what? - the food joint also closed at 6pm! We tried to get into a restaurant, but there were only 2 and they were both full already, and there were no other shops open where we could buy food. Es lebe die DDR!

That 6 pm deadline sounds like a pain in the butt in the summer when it doesn't get dark until late. maybe it was to shoo the tourists out so the locals could enjoy their summer evenings.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DanaC I misread this thread as Cows in Boots. I am disappointed.

@ Sandypossum: I'm a stoopid Merkin...What is 'hooning', and what are 'wheelie bins'?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rossini One of the weirdest things I ever saw was a boat full of sheep. No idea where they were taking them, but most of them jumped out and swam after it! I didn't know sheep could swim... where do they learn

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crimson Ghost You ain't the only one....

@ Gravdigr:

I thought hooning was a Merkin term! It's, um, you know, driving fast and dangerously just for the fun of it.

And this is a wheelie bin:

I'd never heard the term hooning. Wikipedia says Hoon is an Australian/New Zealand term for what you described, and Hoon in the Urban Dictionary is the same but sounds like it was written by foreigners, using kilometers and car models not sold here.
Oh, and Hooning in the urban dictionary is screwing, like half the other word there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elspode Voila! Cows in boots!

hipshot linked "Cows with Guns" in post #28.

So out of interest, what are the Merkin terms for wheelie bin and for hoon? I'm assuming you have both of them there.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandypossum So out of interest, what are the Merkin terms for wheelie bin and for hoon? I'm assuming you have both of them there.

the cows with guns video reminded me of an old flash video from five years ago: "I'm a cow"

moderately funny, imo.

@ wolf
nah, trash can is a generic term, and our equivalent is "rubbish bin". Wheelie bins are specifically the ones in the photo.

I drive aimlessly when I can't remember where I was going (hey, it happens) but I'm not hooning. Hooning needs dangerous speeds and typically involves squealing tyres and burning rubber.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sullage the cows with guns video reminded me of an old flash video from five years ago: "I'm a cow" moderately funny, imo.

Hooning...Guilty. Wheelie bins...Makes sense -- now.


Oh, and MOO-OOO, I'm a cow.

So now who has the photoshop skills for cows hooning in wheelie bins?

Well, here are some New Zealanders hooning in a wheelie bin. (Sad story, they sledded down the steepest street in the world, and one of them died).

Quote:

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce hipshot linked "Cows with Guns" in post #28.

OK, roll-on or stick? :p
That's the way to make hipshot feel welcome, nice going.
I didn't chastise you for posting the video. I was trying to acknowledge hiphot's contribution and not make him/her feel like he/she was being ignored.

If I pick on you you will definitely know it, but until I do, there is no need to be a cunt.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZenGum Well, here are some New Zealanders hooning in a wheelie bin. (Sad story, they sledded down the steepest street in the world, and one of them died).