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Archive for the 'Netherlands' Category

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The End of the Old World

Friday, January 25th, 2013

Our visit to the Netherlands was the final stop on our trans-Eurasian odyssey. It was also when we completed the transition from tourists visiting the sights and making our way across continents to spending all of our time visiting with friends and family.

The first of these visits in the Netherlands came immediately upon arriving. We got off the train in Breda, and were soon met outside the station by our friend Martje. We’d met Martje and her boyfriend Frank twice earlier on in our travels, once briefly in Kashgar, China, and again in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. In Bishkek we’d both spent almost two weeks staying with wonderfully generous Couchsurfing host, Nick, while waiting for visas. In that time we’d become fairly good friends, so it was great that we got to visit them at home once their (huge, two year, 35,000km+) Euraustralasian cycling tour had finished.

Martje drove us back to her family home in the village of Klundert (which, had it not been for Apace in Slovenia would have been the smallest town we’d couchsurfed in.) We met Martje’s parents and said hello to Frank and all sat down at the table for a lovely home-cooked Dutch dinner. (Typical Dutch cuisine reminds me a fair bit of German cooking. The techniques and seasonings are similar, though the Dutch at least have a much bigger spot reserved in their menu for vegetables.)

After dinner, in a somewhat surprising turn of events, Sarah got a haircut. She’d made a passing comment at dinner that she needed one, and Martje’s mom, the regular hairdresser for the family offered to give it a go (and did a fine job as well!)


Sarah’s kitchen haircut


The Klundert guild hall by night

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One Final Weekend: Beach Rugby in the Netherlands

Thursday, October 6th, 2005

I can’t believe this is my final entry! It’s probably going to be a pretty short one too, because A. I didn’t make notes for this portion of the trip, B. My memories of this weekend are pretty hazy and C. I’m writing it almost three months after the fact. Anyway, as fun as it was for me, you don’t want to spend THAT long reading about me playing rugby and drinking beer in the Netherlands, do you? It couldn’t possibly be THAT interesting, at least not without more pictures than I have to go with it…
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Bill and Llew’s Excellent Adventure: Maastricht and Bruxelles

Friday, June 3rd, 2005
I'll begin by apologizing for the title. But I just couldn't resist. When we last left our heroes, they were standing on the platform at Delft station waiting for a train that would take them in the direction of ... [Continue reading this entry]

So. You Want to Read About a Wedding In Holland…

Thursday, June 2nd, 2005
Just in case you're wondering, the title of this entry comes from the invitation to my friends Eric and Diane's wedding, which was the prime reason for my stop in Holland. My longest air trip since crossing the Pacific in August ... [Continue reading this entry]