Holland Trip

James and I are just back from Holland, having had a fun time with our friends, Dorry, Jan Willem, Hein (4) and Karlijn (2). It was a very short flight to Amsterdam, only 40 minutes. From there we caught the intercity train to Hertogenbosch where Dorry and the children met us. Hein speaks no English having left Windsor a year ago but understands perfectly. He and James hit it off again and played well together. Karlijn was always wanting to get in on the action! The first night Dorry and I spent catching up but I was in bed by 9pm.

On Saturday we took the children to Beekse Bergen Safari Park near Tilburg. It was beautiful and sunny but freezing, so Dorry lent me her ski jacket and James some fur-lined boots. Thank goodness for that! Hein, Karlijn and James were more interested in running around and playing at the many playgrounds than animals, so after lunch we drove slowly through the park, right up close! We saw elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions and those weird African animals I never know the names of - you know, yucky hyenas and things. They were undisturbed by our presence in the car. All 3 children fell asleep going home and I was close to it also! Dorry and I drove into town for dinner and she showed me the sights as we walked through. 'Den Bosch' gained official city rights in 1185 so it was graced with old buildings and lovely market squares. We had a fabulous Italian meal with Dutch beer. As we drove home the thermometer showed -4 degrees but it dropped later to -10. Glad I was wrapped up in bed!

Sunday saw Jan Willem home from skiing in Austria so we all drove about 10 kms to a little village called Heusden. We saw 3 windmills (the ones for pumping water, not milling grain), one of which we climbed for the view! I bought a little round of Gouda cheese and some Dutch chocolate. Lunch was ridiculously, deliciously filling at a Pannekoekenbakker (pancake restaurant) and it kept the children quiet for a long time! It was such a beautiful day and warmed up considerably, probably to about 7 degrees! At home we sat on the balcony and drank wine and ate olives and yummy things from the delicatessen. A lovely way to end the day.

Monday was our last day with the family. Jan Willem went to work, Hein to school and Dorry and Karlijn took James and I to the station. We caught a train to Amsterdam Central and from there a cab to our hotel, The Banks Mansion. The hotel had great reviews and totally exceeded our expectations. James was greeted with a toy moose (called Moose, of course!) and after dropping our luggage we headed straight back out into the sunshine to explore. Amsterdam is a maze of canals, similar to Venice but with much more 'dry land'. The city has a lovely small town atmosphere, marred only by the mass of construction currently underway for the new Underground. We had lunch and boarded an hour-long canal boat cruise (James' limit!). It really was the best way to see the city without wearing each other out on foot. The rest of the day was spent shopping and buying tasty treats to take home! After a rest back at the hotel we walked to Wagamama's for dinner but caught a cab home.

Tuesday morning James feasted happily on his usual breakfast, croissant with chocolate spread. Having seen most of the sights on the boat yesterday we wandered up to Dam Square. More shopping - poor James - and a small lunch at a bakery. After that we checked out and relaxed (or tried to!) in the hotel lobby whilst we waited for a cab to take us to the station. From there Schipol airport is only 15 minutes away by train. Another quick flight, and the best surprise of all - Marty waiting at Heathrow to pick us up! We really loved Holland and James has added more words to his vocabulary, namely 'alstubleift' (please) and 'Sorry Dorry!'

Photos are here.

Return to Battle

Today I returned to Battle; the site of the defeat of the last English King Harold by the Norman king William. I had visited there last May (blogged here). This time we went as a family. Although a grey day it was nonetheless atmospheric. And for Merrilyn it was a chance to see the place where Harold was defeated. We have visited Bayeux and the Somme Valley in France where William launched his fleet. We have seen the tapestry that depicts the battle and the crowning of William at Westminster. So it is all the more poignant to visit such as place.

We all had audio guides for our walk around the battlefield. James set out in front and ran to each commentary point to tell us the number we should use in our guide. In fact - he told anybody else that happened to be nearby too!

I haven't taken as many photos this time around. They are here. You can also take a look at the ones we shot last time here.

Merrilyn & James in Amsterdam

On Friday Merrilyn & James travelled to the Netherlands to visit some good friends we met in Windsor. They are staying with them until Monday before travelling to Amsterdam to explore for a few days. It should be a wonderful opportunity to explore. I know that James was looking forward to playing with Hein and his trampoline.

I would like to be there with them but have work commitments. In fact, this weekend I am working on a proposal for BT. Although I did make the most of a cold but clear day to stroll up the long walk at sunset. There were no deer that I could see. Yet it was enjoyable just to be walking in such a beautiful place. And there is the rub. Windsor has been wonderful to us. We've met good friends. We've enjoyed living in such a remarkable place. Our secondment may be drawing to a close. April 20 marks two years for us. We are at somewhat of a cross roads. There is a big part of us that wants to go home to see our family and friends. But how can we possibly leave Windsor and the wonderful experiences we've had. There is a decision to be made...