Willemstad, Netherlands

Willemstad was founded in 1583 by a King named William. Some called him William the Silent, some called him William the Tactiturn, but most prefer William of Orange. He essentially is the first link in the monarchy of the country. Some years later, this village picked up his name. 

Geography might be the most interesting part of the village. It's right on the sea (Hollands Diep), and therefore had some strategic importance. Willemstad was laid out to be a seven-sided star, featuring barriers all the way around. The eighth side was the ocean. There is a wall that goes around most of the town, and it is still quite intact even though it was decommissioned for military purposes about 100 years ago.  

Did I mention it's a cute little place? I particularly liked one street that had an "island" in the middle of the road. Good-sized trees were planted in two long rows on it, making it a shady place for a summer walk. Ships were coming and going out of the small harbor during our visit, with the windmill (known as the D'Oranje Flour Mill) watching over it all. About 2,500 people live there now, and it certainly looks like a great place to retire. 

Don't confuse the name of the place with the city that is the capital of the island of Curacao in the Netherlands Antilles. Most of the video searches on YouTube go to the other side of the Atlantic. Luckily, this one doesn't. It really gives the viewer an idea about why this is a nice place for a visit: