(it’s been nearly a week since the last post so there's a few to upload - don’t read them all at once...)
Friday,
The boys slept in the loft/attic (under the roof) and Wendy and I were outside in the campervan (next to the sheep stable). After a fairly late night but a good sleep, heard the cock crow early in the morning - and it was still raining. Hanneke had to go to work, so after breakfast we went into Groningen with Willy who had the day off. First up we went to the Groninger Museum (Art Gallery) which is a modern design (by an Italian - Alessandro Mendini) and has been a bit controversial as it doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the architecture around like the old train station. We decide to buy a museum card which will get us into the rest of the museums in the country for free - a bit of an investment but will pay for itself after a couple of museums. As well as the permanent collection there was a large exhibition by Japanese artist Mariko Mori. She has made art work in various media including photos, video and installations and the themes she works with are time, space, Utopia, reality and spirituality. We didn’t all get a chance to experience the Wave UFO, but Ash did. It’s a capsule that you and two other people climb into (with electrodes attached to your head) and you get connected to a computer which then projects ‘real time’ brainwaves into a graphics program that is then projected onto a screen above your head. Other interactive artworks include a set of glowing ‘stones’ set up in a circle and a group of green ‘aliens’ that you can hug, which causes their eyes light up and their hearts to start beating! All good fun!
After an hour we meet up with Willy again and walked around the centre of the city and visited a binnen hof (an inside courtyard which was originally a hostel/retirement village but now cheap accommodation run by a foundation) the Groote (big) Market and the Fish Market. Tried some (raw) herring with onions and had some fried fish and chips. Also walked past the old weighing building, the Martini Tower and the university before heading out to pick up the hire car we had booked. Ended up at Europcar instead of Avis and a different car as well. A Skoda Optiva station wagon which is a mid size car that is a bit of a squeeze for three adults in the back seat, at least we can fit all out gear in the back...
Then it was out to visit another cousin, Fenneke and her husband Frans (and their daughter Inneke) and meeting Tante (Aunty) Ali. It’s been interesting to see how people have changed in 23 years (since we saw them last) and nice to catch up with what has happened in our lives (we now all have grown children) and what we are doing for work. Tante Ali is 91 and sharp as a tack - her eyesight is failing and she has difficulty walking but still able to speak fairly good English. So, it was only a few hours before we had to head off again, it’s a shame we are moving so quickly as it would be nice to spend a little more time with everyone.
Back to H & W’s for a fantatsic Janapese stir fry (I did put on an apron and gave a hand) and nice wine before crashing again.
Friday,
The boys slept in the loft/attic (under the roof) and Wendy and I were outside in the campervan (next to the sheep stable). After a fairly late night but a good sleep, heard the cock crow early in the morning - and it was still raining. Hanneke had to go to work, so after breakfast we went into Groningen with Willy who had the day off. First up we went to the Groninger Museum (Art Gallery) which is a modern design (by an Italian - Alessandro Mendini) and has been a bit controversial as it doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the architecture around like the old train station. We decide to buy a museum card which will get us into the rest of the museums in the country for free - a bit of an investment but will pay for itself after a couple of museums. As well as the permanent collection there was a large exhibition by Japanese artist Mariko Mori. She has made art work in various media including photos, video and installations and the themes she works with are time, space, Utopia, reality and spirituality. We didn’t all get a chance to experience the Wave UFO, but Ash did. It’s a capsule that you and two other people climb into (with electrodes attached to your head) and you get connected to a computer which then projects ‘real time’ brainwaves into a graphics program that is then projected onto a screen above your head. Other interactive artworks include a set of glowing ‘stones’ set up in a circle and a group of green ‘aliens’ that you can hug, which causes their eyes light up and their hearts to start beating! All good fun!
After an hour we meet up with Willy again and walked around the centre of the city and visited a binnen hof (an inside courtyard which was originally a hostel/retirement village but now cheap accommodation run by a foundation) the Groote (big) Market and the Fish Market. Tried some (raw) herring with onions and had some fried fish and chips. Also walked past the old weighing building, the Martini Tower and the university before heading out to pick up the hire car we had booked. Ended up at Europcar instead of Avis and a different car as well. A Skoda Optiva station wagon which is a mid size car that is a bit of a squeeze for three adults in the back seat, at least we can fit all out gear in the back...
Then it was out to visit another cousin, Fenneke and her husband Frans (and their daughter Inneke) and meeting Tante (Aunty) Ali. It’s been interesting to see how people have changed in 23 years (since we saw them last) and nice to catch up with what has happened in our lives (we now all have grown children) and what we are doing for work. Tante Ali is 91 and sharp as a tack - her eyesight is failing and she has difficulty walking but still able to speak fairly good English. So, it was only a few hours before we had to head off again, it’s a shame we are moving so quickly as it would be nice to spend a little more time with everyone.
Back to H & W’s for a fantatsic Janapese stir fry (I did put on an apron and gave a hand) and nice wine before crashing again.
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