10-12 November 2013
Visit Anna to Heemstede
Jaap's impression:
After a year and a half teaching in
Korea, Anna, the daughter of Robert and Kathryn, made a big trip throughout
Europe and Holland. She also visited family members in Arnhem and Almelo, and
after her stay in Almelo it was arranged that on the Sunday that she should come
to Heemstede. However, she was unaware that it would be a long trip. As a
result, she arrived late and very tired. The next day Ineke and I took her to
Broek in Waterland, the windmills in Zaandam and Volendam. We visited one of the
wooden windmills that was in working order and saw how it worked. Anna was very
impressed with all the old and historic buildings that she saw in Holland. She
also enjoined very much the Dutch food. She told us about her plans to start a
studying again in Auckland. She was very friendly and easy to get on with. We
very much loved having her as our guest.
Anna's impression:
In late November 2013 I boarded a
train bound for Heemstede. After some sort of mechanical fault and two
unscheduled changes, I was happy to step off onto the platform
to see Jaap’s kind, smiling face. Unruffled by my late arrival, he bundled me
off home, where I was happy to let myself be given a cup of tea and sent off to
bed to rest my travel-weary eyes.
My stay was well
worth the convoluted journey. I was fed generously, shown all the best things
about Jaap and Ineke’s corner of the world and felt spoiled by this lovely
couple that I felt instantly close to. I saw windmills, ate traditional Dutch
treats and Ineke cooked lovely Dutch meals for me.
We explored
Haarlem and even the rain couldn’t dilute the beauty of the well-weathered
stonewalls. We poked around in alleyways, wandered by the canal and finished off
by warming up with a coffee in a rooftop café.
My trip to Holland was magic. I
felt closeness to the stones that were under my feet and staying with family
made me feel right at home.
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Villa's in Broek in Waterland
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Zaanse Schans bij de Windmills
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In de houtzaagmolen.
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Een beetje shoppen in Volendam
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In de haven van Volendam
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laatste update:
vrijdag 20 februari 2015 15:11
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