(dear reader, I'm running about a week behind in my posts but hope to catch up over the next day or two so we're up to date before I arrive home at the end of the week!)
Saturday,
Headed off early and said goodbye to tante Yantine. She has been a gracious host and we are very thankful that she has been kind enough to have a family of five stay with her for a week. It was very nice to be able to be in one place for a while and have a base from which to head out on excursions from. It’s been great to catch up with the family on the polders (lands reclaimed from the sea) and nice for the boys to get to know everyone. We’ve been pleasantly surprised to see just how easy it’s been to connect with the family again - everything seems normal and natural and like we were here only last month.
We headed off to get to Ermelo to visit om (uncle) Harm and tante Mien. Did miss a turn off so we lost a bit of time but managed to fit in a detour off the highway to Staphorst - a small town where traditions hold fast. Amazing to see people living their normal lives still dressed in clothes that were fashionable 150 years or more ago. Saw mostly women wearing the traditional black dresses with coloured waist coats and bonnets. Very tidy town and the buildings were all well kept - lovely farm houses with green and white painted shutters. Many houses were set behind each other so it was difficult to see how the land was divided. Also saw lots of little (miniature) goats (sort of like Shetland ponies that are small horses) and thought that they may be used for pulling little carts? The farm machinery we saw was of the modern variety though, so some things have changed and kept up with modern technology.
Great to see Harm and Mien again, we saw them last in 2001 in Perth during our 6 weeks road trip to Western Australia. They had also visited us in Geelong when the boys were still very young and Matthew was still a baby. So, had some coffee and lunch with them and caught up on all the news and heard some stories about the family. Mein is recovering from a hip replacement and Harm is trying hard not to become a housewife! Then on to Voorschoten to my cousin Apoline’s home for a BBQ with my mother’s side of the family.
Had a successful navigation to Voorschoten and parked the car and did a bit of a walk to find the house (it’s in the main street in the centre of the town) so we thought it best to make sure we knew where it was before trying to park the car. Saw a gigantic (groote) Dutch flag hanging over the fence and thought that might be it and then knew we had found Apoline’s house (called ‘Wildlust’) when i could see my cousin Albert over the fence! We enjoyed a big party with 7 aunties and uncles, 8 cousins (some with their partners) and also a few children. It was fun to see everyone again and renew the acquaintance after so many years. Just like meeting the families up north, the feelings here were the same and we were able to catch up with what has been happening in our lives since last time. Mostly children being born and job changes etc. A great spread of food (well organised by Apoline and with everyone chipping in) and Ben looking after the cooking... It was another late night with lots of talking, listening and lots of laughs. A fair bit of mashing the dutch language by me and the boys being able to be involved in conversation with my cousins as they all speak English very well. Some visits were organised for the next couple of weeks and we all climbed up to the studio/attic to sleep.
Saturday,
Headed off early and said goodbye to tante Yantine. She has been a gracious host and we are very thankful that she has been kind enough to have a family of five stay with her for a week. It was very nice to be able to be in one place for a while and have a base from which to head out on excursions from. It’s been great to catch up with the family on the polders (lands reclaimed from the sea) and nice for the boys to get to know everyone. We’ve been pleasantly surprised to see just how easy it’s been to connect with the family again - everything seems normal and natural and like we were here only last month.
We headed off to get to Ermelo to visit om (uncle) Harm and tante Mien. Did miss a turn off so we lost a bit of time but managed to fit in a detour off the highway to Staphorst - a small town where traditions hold fast. Amazing to see people living their normal lives still dressed in clothes that were fashionable 150 years or more ago. Saw mostly women wearing the traditional black dresses with coloured waist coats and bonnets. Very tidy town and the buildings were all well kept - lovely farm houses with green and white painted shutters. Many houses were set behind each other so it was difficult to see how the land was divided. Also saw lots of little (miniature) goats (sort of like Shetland ponies that are small horses) and thought that they may be used for pulling little carts? The farm machinery we saw was of the modern variety though, so some things have changed and kept up with modern technology.
Great to see Harm and Mien again, we saw them last in 2001 in Perth during our 6 weeks road trip to Western Australia. They had also visited us in Geelong when the boys were still very young and Matthew was still a baby. So, had some coffee and lunch with them and caught up on all the news and heard some stories about the family. Mein is recovering from a hip replacement and Harm is trying hard not to become a housewife! Then on to Voorschoten to my cousin Apoline’s home for a BBQ with my mother’s side of the family.
Had a successful navigation to Voorschoten and parked the car and did a bit of a walk to find the house (it’s in the main street in the centre of the town) so we thought it best to make sure we knew where it was before trying to park the car. Saw a gigantic (groote) Dutch flag hanging over the fence and thought that might be it and then knew we had found Apoline’s house (called ‘Wildlust’) when i could see my cousin Albert over the fence! We enjoyed a big party with 7 aunties and uncles, 8 cousins (some with their partners) and also a few children. It was fun to see everyone again and renew the acquaintance after so many years. Just like meeting the families up north, the feelings here were the same and we were able to catch up with what has been happening in our lives since last time. Mostly children being born and job changes etc. A great spread of food (well organised by Apoline and with everyone chipping in) and Ben looking after the cooking... It was another late night with lots of talking, listening and lots of laughs. A fair bit of mashing the dutch language by me and the boys being able to be involved in conversation with my cousins as they all speak English very well. Some visits were organised for the next couple of weeks and we all climbed up to the studio/attic to sleep.
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