In New Zealand – people mess about in boats and then they take them out and sail, or row, drive or whatever else one does to move a boat on the waves. And of course it is usually on the ocean waves which makes it not messing about in boats. It might also be [...]
Continue reading about We have been messing about in boats like Ratty in Wind in the Willows
Queens Day / Koninginnedag : or is it Orange Crazy Day?
April 30th – Queen’s Day is a national holiday here in the Netherlands. It is a celebration for the birthday of the Queen of the Netherlands (Queen Juliana’s birthday). The date has been retained as Queen Beatrix birthday is in January – not good weather [...]
Continue reading about Queens Day / Koninginnedag : or is it Orange Crazy Day?
Today is the spring equinox, and the first official day of spring in the Netherlands.
In this lovely Northern land, seasons have so much more meaning than in countries closer to the equator. You feel each new season with all your senses, in sharp contrast to the last one. The transition from one to another is [...]
Nederland has a hell of a lot of rivers, canals and drains. Right now the rivers, canals and drains are mostly frozen over, and the snow lies on the ice like icing sugar. In the larger rivers and canals, there are still pools of water here and there – under the bridges, and where the [...]
On the weekend we went for a great bike ride, and saw many birds including several sets of nesting Mute Swans. We did manage to take a short video of swans nesting out on the polders east of Haarlem.
Is a place you should visit if you do ever have the opportunity.
We have ridden our bikes here for coffee, or wine and toasties. Once in spring we sat outside near the waters edge, and the mother ducks and ducklings were of course very interested in case there was food. And there was of [...]
JJ was on the morning train to Maastricht and sent this email to Bruce in NZ. It is not quite verbatim.
On this misty morning at 8:07 AM JJ having caught the 6:30 from Haarlem to Amsterdam, then boarded this one – the lizard train at 7:07 bound for Maastricht.
I can see the fields [...]
Continue reading about The Lizard Train – a unique Dutch concept
