Holland2010 In Pictures

This year I have decided to combine our two trips in one report, so these are pictures from Holland in April and the Meddo Show.

Pascal asked if we had a good time in April and the answer is a resounding YES! The only disappointment was I was promised a six cylinder Super Major would meet us on Museum Plain but it did not!

This year we brought my brother and sister-in-law, Rod and Angela, for their first visit. It was really only a long weekend but we take every chance we can. Angela was very worried about the sea crossing, having never sailed on a big ferry before but the Stenar Line ships are great and you hardly know you are sailing. She went to sleep in the cabin and woke in Holland.

We drove to Amsterdam and did our usual visit to the Museums and a canal trip. Rod was a little put out with the pictuters and models in the Reich Museum showing how the Dutch defeated the English in their trade wars! (Only joking).

The wonderful fied egg sandwich we had in a bar opposite the Central Station soon brought him round though. Four fried eggs on ham, cheese, pineapple toast and salad!

When we arrived in Harlingen on Saturday morning they must have been expecting us.

All the ships in the harbour were decked in flags.

And there was a Marching band!

On the quay there was a group singing sea shanties. They sang them in Dutch but Rod and I harmonised in English. They were the same songs as we learnt at school!

There were also interesting displays of old outboard motors.

In another branch of the canal were about twenty very luxurious motor cruisers built in the local boat yards. Our host told us they cost up to one million Euros per square metre!

All these celebrations were not for our visit, it seems we had arrived on the opening day of the sailing season.

We spent the rest of the day looking around the wonderful planetarium at Franecker and the Stadt House and gardens.

Monday saw us heading through feilds of hyacynths in full bloom for our anual visit to the Kukenhof.

Rod and Angela were struck dumb by the wonderful display of so many varieties of tulips and orchids.

My brother had to have his picture taken wearing clogs.

Art in the gardens

Our next trip was to the Veluwe National Park and the Meddo Show. After Emiel's invitation, we decided to take Dotty to the show and Pascal decided to drive his Super Major Symphony fro Amsterdam to Meddo, an epic trip.

Dotty arrives at Emiel's family farm.

She will be getting big headed if she keeps getting all this attention. After a cup of tea, we unhich and set off for our first hotel at Nijmegen.

We always visit Nijmegen when we come to this part of Holland, its a pilgrimage on behalf of my father. During WW2 he served with the 2nd Tactical Air Force and was in the column which was stopped on the way to relive Arnham. They eventually were transfered to an airfield close to Nijemegen and was involved with the Canadian forces. We have always taken pictures of the area, when we passed through and he would pore over them with relish.

Oh! Noticed this whilst walking around the town. Can this be one of Jos's ancestors?

There was a rock music festival setting up in the town and we really enjoyed the bands who were practising as we walked passed. Takes me back to my twenties!

One of the houses near our hotel.

 On Monday morning we left the hotel and made our way to the next, deep in the National Park. Ann directed us towards our hotel via Ousterbeek and the Armham Museum there. Very moving, especialy when our route took us passed the War Cemeteries.

I did find a tractor in the museum!

Our hotel! Rather special!

This is the restaurant and bar area, the rooms are in small apartments scattered thhrough the woods.

The view from our appartment window. So quiet and peaceful.