1665 – Strictly forbidden for women, female animals and vehicles.

border in 70ties
Photo of the border gate by Dutch writer Gerard Koolschijn taken in the 1970ties. In his novel  “Geen Sterveling weet” he writes about his walk to the border:
Voordat de nacht viel, slenterde ik langs de branding naar de heilige grens. Aan de voet van een met naaldbomen begroeide helling liep een houten omheining. De latten van het toegangshek vormden een kruis, en een houten bordje meldde in onbeholpen schrijfletters: ‘ Streng verboden toegang voor vrouwen, wijfjesdieren en voertuigen’. Het hek werd vrijwel nooit gebruikt. De Berg had een eigen haven, Laurier.

I will attempt to translate this very nice Dutch text into English:

Before night fell, I strolled along the shore to the sacred border. At the foot of a pine-covered slope ran a wooden fence. The slats of the gate formed a cross, and a wooden sign reported in clumsy writing letters: Strictly forbidden access for women, female animals and vehicles. The gate was almost never used. The Mountain had its own port, Laurel. (= Dafni)

Nowadays there are two gates in the border fence. Women are still not welcome but vehicles and female animals, especially cats, are present in large numbers.border 2011     Schermafbeelding 2015-01-24 om 12.58.12
My brother Wim at one of the gates which, I think,  are still on the same location as in the 70ties.

hv

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