Lindsay and I arrived in Holland over 3 weeks ago!
And I felt it was time to update you all on some of the things we have been doing here.
We arrived off the plan at Amsterdam airport, bought some tickets to Oss to head to our first set of family. We worked out which train we needed, what platform and hopped on a train. While on the train all we could hear was Dutch being spoken everywhere. It was a shock to the system! The ticket conductor came to check our tickets and started explaining to us where we would need to change trains. I think our blank faces encouraged her to try again but in English which was very kind of her. So understanding dutch…fail.
We made it to Oss and were picked up by my Oma and Opa who I have not seen for about 6 years! They were very happy to see us and to meet Lindsay for the first time. They took us straight to Maarten and Yvonne’s house where Yvonne fed us and we all sat around and chatted.
The next morning Elke arrived, and we were very happy to see her!
When I lived in Holland I used my Oma’s old bike, which after I left had been taken to her house. But she doesn’t use it anymore so we had to head to Heesch to pick it up so Lindsay and I could use it. Elke and I rode to Heesch from Oss…while Lindsay trotted along side us the entire 30 minute trip!
Once we got to Oma’s we chatted to Oma and Opa, before heading back to Oss, this time on 3 bikes! Riding in Holland is awesome, safe and really comfortable.
The next day was Koningin’s Dag (queens’s day)! And Elke took us into Amsterdam with her to celebrate. Our train was packed to the extreme! There was standing room only, and even then you had 15 other people in your personal space at all times, to add to the excitement there was no air-conditioning (I think NL must have a think against Air-conditions, there is none!) it was so hot and stuffy on the train I thought people would start fainting. Despite the uncomfortable trip it was quite amusing watching all the drunk guys and translating to Lindsay the silly things they were saying. My favourite line was said by a young dude covered in sweat: “Put the heating on, I am so cold”
We arrived in Amsterdam to find…more crowds….very happy, drunk, orange attired crowds, everyone wears orange on Queen’s day, its the National colour for Holland. As we left the train station they handed out hats to add to the sea of orange clothing and costumes!
I think Lindsay I looked quite smashing in our hats. Ga Mee I am pretty sure means, ‘come with’ as in come with me.
We left Elke and her friends to a concert of bizarre Dutch music and spent the day wondering around the packed streets
most streets were this busy, the trick to getting through was to not panic and calmly shove people out of the way.
We made our way to the canals where is wasn’t so busy
And sat and watched the boat loads of people floating past, we had so much fun people watching!
We then walked around buying foods from stalls before finding a spot in the very busy park to enjoy the sunshine and partake in some more people watching!
After some major phone fail we managed to meet up with Elke and her friends and we stumbled back to the train station. We were all exhausted but happy after an exciting day.
We returned back to Oss to learn about the terrible incident in Appeldorn, which was a massive shock for the entire country.
Following Queen’s day Lindsay and I went and rode around Oss while I tried to re orientate myself. I introduced Lindsay to some gourmet dutch food,
hot chips with mayo and 2 types of *sausages*
A few days later we went to Oma and Opa’s for lunch.
Oma had prepared a delicious Chinese meal for us! Followed by my mother’s favourite dessert, Quark met Slagroom and Kersen!!! hahahaha
Opa is a fine example of a Decates!
After lunch Lindsay helped Opa with the TV
and then we all watched the Wedding DVD together,
The following day Lindsay met many more rellies, my Uncle and Godfather Juriaan, my Aunt Marleen and their boys Vince and Mick. It was so wonderful to see them and the boys had changed sooooo much since I last saw them!
Lindsay got to meet my cousins Michiel and Tom and I finally got to meet Michiel’s girlfriend Jikke, (she is lovely!)
Michiel, Jur, Vince and Mick took Lindsay outside to play football (soccer). Lindsay confessed to me that being with Decates boys/men was like being with many Jeroen and Jacobs. They are all as crazy as each other, with the same strange sense of humour.
Yvonne cooked an awesome dinner (I must get the recipe) and while us girls cleaned up the dishes Tom gave Lindsay some *friendly* cousin advice (warnings). Hearing about it afterwards I was highly amused!
A few days later Yvonne and Elke took us to Nijmegan. where we decided to imitate Nijmegan’s famous statue!
Lindsay and I plan to go back to take some more photos of the beautiful buildings!
After we had been a week in Oss Lindsay flew to Barcelona and I went to Nijmegan to stay with Juriaan and Marlene! Stay tuned for my week and if I can convince Lindsay to do a ‘guest’ blog then his week too!