Amsterdam
Feb 12-18, 2011 -
on our return trip from Uganda.
Self explanatory, scroll down and enjoy...
Modern Windmills!
de Dutch Pannekoek
In Houten, a Suburb of Utrecht
(Where my dad was born 100 years ago)
we stopped to see a couple
with the last name of Versteegh,
we weren't able to follow the family tree
far enough to see if we were related, but
with time we may find out that we are!!
Desi & Deiter Versteegh
with Beth Versteegh Odiyar
Next stop Didam,
the home of my cousin Hettie, and family,
where this chair is just the beginning
of the hospitality that we felt
while staying in their home.
The Brown part of this building
is where Hettie's daughter Anneke,
and her husband Luc live,
it is the original "house" part of this farm.
The White part was originally the barn,
and they are connected
by what we would call a "breezeway".
Above the window on the white part
you can see the date of 1775,
the large window was the barn door,
but now the barn has been converted
into living space for Hettie,
her husband Lo, and their son Rolf.
Below is a picture of the lovely interior
they have created,
it has turned into a beautiful home.
Here is the family that lives in the home.
Back Row: Anneke, Luc, Rolf,
Sitting: Beth Hector, Lo
Front: Hettie.
Sunday, going to Bolsward
in the province of Friesland,
to visit another cousin and family.
Clean country and smooth roads,
the green line indicates it is an
80 km/h zone.
Our GPS took us on a detour,
but the pictures I got were worth it.
Winding down narrow streets
to find the home of Hans.
There it is!!!
And here are the lovely people
that live in the house.
L-R: Inge, Hans, Maarten, Beth Marieke
L-R: Inge, Hans, Maarten, Beth Marieke
Front: Akke, Nynke
Martiniekerk,
where Hans and Marieke are both Vicar's
One of the amazing streets of Bolsward,
with a canal down the middle.
Caution!!!!
Please have passenger step out
of the car before parking!!
Tuesday, a visit to Auntie Jannie, a cousin of my father's. She had her 97th Birthday in January, we visited her in February. What a lovely time we had, telling her about us, and asking her questions of what she remembers from years past. Jannie is the niece of my dad's mother, who I never met, so to me auntie Jannie, is the closest I will ever get to knowing my grandmother, as Jannie remembers letters coming from Canada and was able to fill in some of the blanks. For more info about what she told us, please see my Sept 2010 entry.
Jannie's nephew, Jaap and his wife Henny
who we met for the first time that day.
Sadly, about a month after we visited her
Auntie Jannie passed away,
I am thankful I got to see her, but the
time we spent together was far to short.
Cheese
This is where it all begins...
A visit to a cheese factory!!
63 cows
Curds being taken out of the whey,
going to be set in the shape of cheese
There it is, sitting on the shelf aging,
each block is dated so they know
when it has reached the desired age.
And how could one report on Holland
without a picture of a windmill?
Het Einde!!
