lunch with my brothers and their gorgeous families
Like every Dutch person I spend some time biking. Biking is so much fun because you bike mostly on safe biking paths, without helmets, on oma (grandma) bikes. It is the best way to see the country and I will spend a post on one of my bike tours.
You see these oma bikes, often with baskets on the front, everywhere. I owned one once and they are sooo comfortable.
Holland is the land of flowers. They are everywhere and very cheap compared to New Zealand. These are a few of many I came across on the market.
Of course I have indulged in Dutch food. I declined most of the cake and tarts but I ate my favourate: Limburgse vlaai which is a tart of pastry filled with fruit. I also put two euro into a slot in the wall, pulled a handle and took out a croquette. Of course I bought a raw herring with onions on the market and I ate drop or liquorise.
Now I have indulged into all of the delights above, I feel satisfied :)
Hi Marja - must have been wonderful to have been back with the family ... and to see your cool! Dutch traditions and utilise some of them ... lovely - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteMarja I love the photos you have shared and the video. Holland definitely is a "cool" place and I am so pleased you were able to catch up with your family and friends and ride a bike without a helmet and indulge is some fabulous Dutch food. It was a long overdue visit.
ReplyDeleteKeep shining my dear friend.
Big heart hugs
Peggy xxxxxx
Leuke foto's van de familie allemaal aan een tafel en op de fiets. Wel lekker zeker om weer even in je oude omgeving te zijn. Geniet er maar van en van de kroketten!
ReplyDeleteIt's good to hear from you. What a wonderful trip - visiting your birth country, being with your Mum and brothers, indulging in Dutch food, riding a bicycle...! The big, smiling family photo at the dining table sums it all up. Great picture (you should frame it).
ReplyDeleteThe video at the top of your post is very well done- short and informative showing Holland in a nutshell. It makes one instantly wish to pay this charming, cool country a visit.
I'm very glad you had such an enjoyable time.
Wat was dat een leuk filmpje Marja. Ik zie dat je genoten hebt bij je familie in ons koude kikkerlandje. Mooie Hollandse foto's, ik zou er chauvinistisch van worden.
ReplyDeleteGroeten van Janneke
I would love to go to Holland one day! I'm so glad you could spend time with family again--that's important for many people. Your photos make it look so inviting.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy for you that you have been back to Holland. There is nothing like going back to your birth country and seeing your family, friends and renewing with all the places you knew. The food too is something to enjoy. I have never eaten a croquette like those you can get in Holland, and the herring… Here we can get the herring in a jar, but it’s not the same, and no croquettes. Your pictures are lovely.
ReplyDeleteA lovely record of your visit home to Nederland. I returned 'home' after living in NZ more than 30 years. Guess I missed the cobble stones, the old buildings and life style too much or something. Was quite a surprise to me too- finding myself back here permanently. It is lovely to have visitors pop over and pay me a visit to see how my life has taken shape here. I visit NZ and Aus regularly ( when the purse allows) as my children en grandchildren are all "down Under" which does take some learning to live with. It helps to blog and wrote my thoughts 'on paper' so to speak. Clears the head.
ReplyDeleteI have a number of dutch and english blogs - I spilt my themes. You can find me on http://omaverweg.blogspot.nl/ and http://ikziedatzo.blogspot.nl/
Thanks for sharing your special moments. Have a great day!
Anita
How nice to meet your family in Holland, with their beautiful smiling faces.
ReplyDeleteYou have such a lovely warm happy looking family dear Marja, and it must be so nice to reconnect with them all again after not seeing them for so long..
ReplyDeleteI bet also they really enjoyed having you over to stay for so long a visit too.
The one good thing about Holland is that it is good for Bikes as not many hills :-)
Lovely photo's of you all enjoying..
Love Sue xx