When prompted to talk about: ‘What’s the most interesting thing you’ve done as a Local Guide”, the first thing that comes to mind is adding viewpoints and observation towers. In my spare time I like to take walks in the beautiful countryside of my home province of Friesland (Fryslân in Frisian) in the Netherlands. To get a birds eye view I like to bring along my drone to these places to lift off for a wide view of the countryside. Being afraid of heights, this also gives me an excuse to keep both feet firmly on the ground 
.
By adding or expanding the information about these places to Google Maps, I hope to inform and interest people in taking a look for themselves exploring the beautiful landscape of the north of the Netherlands. You might know and think the Netherlands is a flat country, and rightly so with the highest point being only 323 meters above sea-level. But in my opinion there’s still a lot to discover from above!
Next to an enthusiastic amateur drone pilot I am also kind of a history buff (see the picture of my wife and me in traditional ‘Hindelooper’ costumes). That is why I am also interested in old maps and the way men has carved out the landscape in the history of our country.
One of the most notable examples that stands out, also according to the notifications I get from Google maps, is the Vlietermonument, built to commemorate the closing of the ‘Afsluitdijk’ (enclosing dyke). The monument is an impressive example of the fight against water by the Dutch. Other examples of this struggle are ‘gemalen’ (pumping stations) that can be found all over the Netherlands.
An example of the way people used to defend our country against invaders are the so called ‘schansen’ (entrenchments) that were built to keep invaders at bay. An example of this is the Zwartendijksterschans (see photo) at the border between Friesland and Groningen, our neighboring province.
To realize that with every bit of information you add to Google Maps, the world is getting a little smaller is a big motivation for me to keep on adding new places, photos and information. Being proud of your background and the place and culture you are from is not something to set you apart from the rest of the world, but an important basis to start sharing hospitality, openness and interest in other people and their culture, worldwide!
For the occasion of the Google Local Guide Connect Live 2020 event I have compiled a list of some Lookout points and Observation Towers in Fryslân where you can get a birds eye view of the often beautiful surroundings.
I hope you enjoy!
Adding places is another way of saying welcome to my world.
Be my guest!