Haje Hotel Heerenveen

Well I'm on my way at last: how strange after such a build up.....

Been resting, sleeping and chilling out with friends in Groningen after a mad dash onto the Dutch flyer overnight ferry and then connecting trains to Groningen. My friend Helen ...

... put her hands over her ears and say, not so loud, not so loud. Great memories. The pub where they used to drink and the bar stools were only for them even when they crossed the road to buy some salted herring. We sat on the terrace at the Harbour having a drink and watched this poor buggar trying to moor his boat and cheers and laughter went up when he fell into the water trying to get the rope around the pole.

... lunch and then the four of us went into the city.  I just love Leeuwarden.  We walked around for awhile and then went on a little boat through the canals.  I learned quite a lot about the history of Leeuwarden that no doubt I had learned at school but seeing that, that is a long time ago I had forgotten quite a lot.  Before we got back we saw Christien’s sister in law Alie on her bike, camera in hand taking photo ...

... Terschelling West etc.  Had some lunch(typically dutch "warm sandwiches" at the seaside of course and then walked around looking at everything.  At 6pm we arrived back home after a long and emotional day and cooked dinner.  We had potatoes with raw witlof just like mum used to make and a piece of steak.  Yum, Yum.  The weather is still fine not cold now we will see what tomorrow brings."

The trip was for Alice to help Pieti buy a new washing machine so we took the opportunity to have a look around

 A trip of about 15km from Lekkum took us to Dokkum which is a dutch fortified town in the municipality of Dongeradeel in the province of Friesland. Not very big about 15,000 people.

This town (city) is also one of the eleven cities that form the 200km skating race which can only happen if all the course is frozen over. Averages about once every ...

... catching up to do.  Got all our washing organized and you wouldn’t believe it the washing machine broke down.  There wasn’t much we could do about that so we just left it.  A friend of Pieti’s called in and took my washing home and returned it in the afternoon.  We were laughing because we had to hang it on the line and after sitting in the backyard all day it was quite a big job. ..............  Spoke to Luke and ...

... wife live in the house that was my great-great-great grandpa's home and bakery (Melle Toppen) before he came to the US. It was fun to see the rooms where they slept and the bricks from the ovens. After leaving the Jonkmans' house, we drove around a few small towns where our ancestors came from, such as Bierum and Losdorp. Our car was leading, and as I was in the front seat, I got the job of navigator- not an easy job! We ...

Well, Easter or Paas in Holland is a very different experience indeed. After a traditional Breakfast with Petra's family on Easter sunday we headed off for church and then directly to a brunch organised by a group called "World Servants" who are raising money for a trip to Zambia, Africa. The afternoon consisted of a game called "Walnoten" which is where you roll a bocce ball down two planks of wood and attempt to knock over a row of 20 walnuts. The last one must also ...