I’ve just arrived home from four quick and full days in Holland. I left the flat at about ten am on Thursday last week, took tube and train to Luton airport, northeast of London. From there a direct flight to Amsterdam, a one way train ticket into the city from airport, and a short walk up the Damrak, the main street, to my hotel right in the center of things. I was well located, and very happy with it!
So, the desk clerk assured me that the Van Gogh museum would be open until 7 pm on Thursday night. So I bought a 24 hour tram pass, hopped on and got to the museum square about 5 til 5; to find out things close down at 5 pm, not 7. Darn. So didn’t make it to Van Gogh. I began walking back towards the Dam Square; took a wrong turn, which often happens in Amsterdam, and got hopelessly lost. But it sure was pretty! Anyway, after getting back on a tram in the right direction, I decided it was time for a good cup of coffee, in my neighborhood. Then a light dinner, people watching, a walk through the red light district, and home for bed.
Next day, up reasonably early, and after breakfast and back to Centraal Station to buy a ticket to the south, off by tram again to the Rijksmuseum. 
It’s been ten years since I was there; they’ve done a ton of work, and it’s amazing.
Also, full of the Dutch masters. I’ll be viewing a Rembrandt exhibition here in London in a week, but having seen “The Night Watch” in its full glory, this one may pale. Also I ran into several Frans Hals portraits….something about the way that man paints just makes my face happy. This is called 'the Happy Drunkard' I believe, and reminds me of the 'Laughing Cavalier' I visit here in London occasionally. 
So a great morning in the Rijksmuseum, followed by a long walk to hotel, going through the Leidesplein, then the Rembrandtplein with its tulip market,
then through several other neighborhoods and shopping networks, cheese markets, wooden shoe stores, etc,
before arriving back at hotel, picking up my bag, and going on to catch my 2:30 train to the south.
After traveling for 2 ½ hours, I arrived at my destination city, Goes. No one met me at the platform, but on getting through the building, I found our friend Jan just arriving at the station…so we timed things perfectly! His daughter and partner had been delayed so he only ran at the last minute to collect me but all worked. We had a twenty minute drive to Jan and Bella’s house in Kortgene, a smaller town, now on a freshwater lake made by damming up some of the Zeeland lowlands many years ago. Today this is a tourist destination in summer; at this stage it was quiet and beautiful. And Bella always sets a lovely table! (With help from Jan) 
On Friday morning, Jack, Corrie and I had a walk to the harbor of the lake, beautiful, crisp and clear.
My sister Anna Lou lived with Jan and Bella over fifty years ago when she was an IFYE, or International Farm Youth Exchange (through the 4-H program). She’s kept in touch for all those years; we’ve visited back and forth in Holland and US over the years, and they are a delightful couple! We had such a good time!
Their daughter Corrie and her partner Jack were down from the north of Holland, about four hours away. It was great to see them as well, and we find we have much in common, and really enjoy both their parents, their parents’ home, and the time we get to spend there. Son Jan and wife Monique also drove in from two hours away and spent the day with us as well….I feel so blessed to be adopted and loved by such a wonderful family! 
Young Jan was borrowing the family costume; tails and formal wear that he's planning to use to sing in a Dickens Christmas presentation...he looks great in the family suit!
Our touristic day was to an amazing engineering project. In 1953 much of southern Holland, as well as a good deal of the entire coastland, was inundated by a huge flood. Jan and Bella were fairly newlywed; Bella was seven months pregnant with Corrie, and the sea broke dikes everywhere, rushed in, and flooded their family farm to a depth of 8 feet, for about 6 weeks. They were evacuated to a family home for the 6 weeks. Something like 75 people in a village of 500 were killed in that flood, and over 1600 around Holland. 
The people and the government vowed, ‘never again’. They thus began an ambitious building project to strengthen dikes all over the land, but also to build dams and other structures that allow them to control the too-high and too-strong tides.
So we six visited one such place, Neeltje Jans at the North Sea into the Oosterschelde, where a barrier is set to keep the floodwaters from coming again. Here we were not only able to view several movies about the building of the floodgates, but saw many photos of the flood of ’53, and it was special to view with two 86 year-olds who had lived the entire event. We took our time, and though the family were very patient with me, perhaps they were getting a bit bored. But such a fascinating place, and such a learning! 
I only have a greater respect for the Dutch after seeing the resolve that lets them reclaim so much land from the sea, and the engineering skills that make such reclamation possible.
After a late lunch of seafood and beer, 
we headed home. Jan and Monique had to leave to see more friends while in town, but son Marius and his partner Marianne joined us for dinner, and dominoes, and farmer’s bridge (Boer’s bridge), and whisky. We had a great evening, and I learned both dominoes on the first night, and farmer’s bridge on the second. The first and last round of farmer's bridge gets a bit crazy as everyone must display their one card on their forehead! 
We stayed up til 1 am enjoying each others’ company; not wanting to leave, and knowing we all were dragging and needing to see the bed. A fantastic evening.
Today, Sunday, breakfast at half nine (a bit of sleep late, that), sitting around the table enjoying Jan and Bella, Corrie and Jack. Then Jack and Corrie kindly drove me directly to Schiphol airport near Amsterdam so I could catch my flight. We even went through central Rotterdam so I could have a look at that city.
After finding my gate, only to realize it was the wrong flight to Southend airport at the correct time, I made it to the true EasyJet gate with time to spare. We left late, arrived late, I had to buy a train ticket, and since it was a Sunday evening couldn’t get where I wanted to go. Three tube changes later, I’m finally at home at 6:30 pm, catching up on emails, writing down these thoughts, and grateful, so grateful for the Dutch friends who open their home and make me feel such a part of the family…..’That was good, Bella! Het var gote, Bella!’ Much love to the van Ouverens, and here’s hoping we meet at least one more time!
