Kidscorner

Sunday 22 July 2012

Wijchen of the past...........weeks

When you finally go back to your old home, you find it wasn't the old home you missed but your childhood. Sam Ewing
A second try as I deleted my post yesterday by accident. My trip to Holland went by in a flash and already seems ages ago but it’s only a week. It was so great to catch up with everybody. Instead of drinking coffee we went places so my son would be able to get a glimpse of Holland and Europe. All went well and I didn’t notice a lot of changes. There were a lot of flowers and trees in the center of my birthplace, which looked wonderful. Highways, increased to eight lanes.  Food banks are a new phenomenon in Holland because of the recession but most people are still doing OK. I noticed I changed too. I felt sometimes more like an observer than being part of it all as it was not me anymore. I was able to adjust to my old self though but it was not completely natural. I am the one who left though so it was up to me to adjust. I was probably also looking for the closeness and the carefree time of the past. I was looking for my childhood.
I cherished every minute of my stay and feel very fortunate that I had such a wonderful time.


Proud to show my family. We all had dinner together


From the monastery is only this church left. The kindergarten was next to the monastery and we were taught by the nuns.


The marketplace looks wonderful with new trees and a chess game! There is still a market on Thursday mornings. I lived around the corner.


In the cafe on the right we had many wedding parties, disco afternoons etc


The house above is a restaurant called after Fien, a schoolteacher who was adopted by a rich Swiss lady. Later in life Fien became a bit eccentric and had lots of animals roaming around. She was a great painter and had exhibitions behind the green doors you see.
 
and of course the castle where I married and where we played in the gardens as children.

20 comments:

  1. Welcome back Marja! These photos are fascinating! And you were married in castle! Incredible! But the real magic for me is that little area outside the cafe! Just delightful!

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  2. What a lovely family. You were married in a castle (complete with a moat) and played in the gardens there as a child! It is not surprising then that you have wonderful memories of your early years. Being an observer in a place you have roots is a strange feeling I can understand. We can never return in quite the same way it seems. The quote you included is profound. :)

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  3. What a happy time for you, Marja. Your hometown in so charming. Loved the chess set in the park. Are people actually able to use it for a game?

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  4. Is het positief dat je niet zo veel veranderingen opmerkte of valt het tegen?

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  5. Hi Gemma Yes the area outside the cafe is very cosy and busy with people when something is on.

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  6. Hi maria Indeed profound that's what I thought. The castle is wonderful isn't it

    Yes I've seen people playing chess Annie

    Ik had meer verandering verwacht denk ik Yvette maar het is eigenlijk meer vertrouwd asl er niet zoveel veranderingen zijn. Alhoewel er is misschien veel wat je in eerste oogopslag niet ziet

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  7. Wow...I've been missing a lot. Great to see you with your wonderful family. Getting maried in a castle, I love that! Nice post! Regards to everyone! :)

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  8. Het moet wel vreemd zijn inderdaad om alles terug te zien, niets blijft hetzelfde als in je jeugd en je herinnering. Dat heb ik zelfs als ik in Amsterdam naar mijn oude buurten terug ga. Huizen zijn afgebroken of opgeknapt, straten veranderd. Je wordt er een beetje nostalgisch van.

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  9. In the cafe on the right we had many wedding parties, disco afternoons etc

    That place looks so peaceful I could sit there all day sipping coffee and reading.

    Great pictures!

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  10. Welcome back,dear Marja!It´s great to hear that you had a wonderful time with your family in Holland!I love Holland too but unfortunately I am not often there.

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  11. Good to have you back and blogging too. great photos and that castle must have been magical as a place to play as kids and then to get married in.

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  12. beautifull...enjoyed that, following you around.

    And what a large family! All smiling!

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  13. Welcome back. Nice to see what you've been up to.

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  14. Dear Marja- happy to read you again. photos are absolutely gorgeous- market place and castle is so picturesque!

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  15. What a nice glimpse into your childhood haunts. Welcome back Marja.

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  16. Welcome back Marja - thanks for showing us the places that meant so much to back then. A delight.

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  17. Hi Marja hope you remember me;)beautiful post and pics are amazing

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  18. Thank you so much for sharing such wonderful photos of your trip home and glad you enjoyed your visit. Sorry to have been so lax lately to come visit here but will try to do better.

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  19. It's been a while since I've visited Marja. It's lovely to see you have spent some time back in Holland. It must have been a special time. The photos are wonderful. They make me feel homesick too for a Holland that was only ever my parents' home, never mine, except in my imagination.

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  20. What a beautiful place to get married!

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Thank you!!