I know this place!

I know this place and I still love this place. Sometimes I miss the scenery and the quiet patchwork of the green countryside, the endless world behind the far away hills. I am visiting the town where I used to live 6 years in the Southern Germany. It is familiar, it is cosy and definitely a warm feeling to see the important places and the friends. After two days I could speak out my mind again with the german language and it felt I had never been away. Even the people, the familiar faces on the streets are asking did we move back. No, just visiting and enjoying the best parts of this very old town. And I know I do not want to come back to stay! It was the most important period of my life so far, teaching me a lot about myself and about my real needs and ambitions, facing the hidden parts of me. It was also a painful and vulnerable time, HAPPY, time of insecurity, but in the end I felt stronger than ever. We made the decision to go, even it was a difficult one and it turned out to be the turning point and the world was open again to discover. I felt free again. I left the hills behind me and the valley between was not my home anymore. It will always be part of me and I will be regularly coming here and I will see the same living picture book all over again. Being not part of this fairy tale anymore, jumped away from the pages and looking at the letters and the sentences and seeing everything differently. 

The view from the top of the Einkorn, the highest point in Schwäbisch Hall

Looking at the horizon gave me the feeling of freedom in Germany and now in Holland the beach has the same effect. Maybe I will be always looking for something, trying maybe to reach my roots. I have been growing some new connections, some new roots. The place can change, but the memory is collecting the details and the important people will be part of your life everywhere. They will not forget you and I will not forget them. 

It is wonderful, I am appreciating every moment here and I have still many spots to visit. I will be taking some pictures and collecting new moments and memories. 

I wish a great weekend to everybody, to you and to myself! 

A day at the Beach

The Dutch coastline is like a long sandy beach belt between the land and the Sea. There are many options near Amsterdam to spend a nice day by the sea. The holiday season just started and the first week out of the school is very warm and sunny in Holland. We decided yesterday to go to the beach near the village called "Wijk aan Zee". This was a perfect option with the children and especially if you go early, you do not have the traffic jams and you find a parking spot easily. The most well known beaches like Zandvoort are always very busy during the holidays and weekends. You can easily loose your nerves when just driving there in a long queue and in the end trying to find a parking spot. We prefer going to more peaceful beaches and mostly during the morning hours.

Beach Cabins at the beach! Some you can rent and some are private.

All the beaches in Holland are behind the dunes. The dunes are beautiful and perfect for hiking and cycling, but also protecting the country against the flooding. The parking areas are near the beach and you normally can directly just walk or cycle to the beach, but I often prefer taking a bit longer route and walk first through the dunes and admire the landscape there. That already gives me the holiday feeling and hearing the grasshoppers making their music is like a strong memory from the childhood. I love walking the small sandy paths between the dunes and to watch the small, curvy hills everywhere. When you finally are on top of the hill, you will see the endless looking blue Sea, which is melting to the sky at the horizon. The hot, summer days are a bit surreal. When you watch the boats and ships in the horizon of the Sea, it almost looks they are just appearing trough a foggy wall. Like the world would be ending at that spot and the scenery far away on front of us would be just a painting or a curtain. Behind that curtain would be the space and the universe...now I start to understand why our ancestors thought the earth is like a pancake:-).The best thing at the beach is how you sometimes sunk in a dreamy mood, when just watching the blue sky & water and listening to the sounds of the waves is the only entertainment you need.

A cute, little Hotel near the Beach.

After running, swimming and playing beach tennis everyone was hungry. We had already finished all our healthy snacks and the kids were suggesting that we should go and buy some portions of "Kibbeling" from the village on our way back to the car. The fish was fresh, even the way they make it deep fried and served with the mayonnaise means this is not the most healthy snack. But yes, it was good!

The sun is nice, but the sun protection is needed.  The Sun lotion, a hat, the sunglasses, a parasol and lot of water to drink. At least these things are needed at the beach. The hot weather type is continuing, but today I really stay in the shadows and enjoy the summer at the park. 

Neighbourhood Camping

Another Summer weekend and a lot of outdoor activities. I visited shortly yesterday the neighbourhood Camping at the Rembrandt park. It is a great idea to organise Camping in the City and this park is peaceful and optimal place for the families to gather together and share the Camping experience with the children. And it is not just for the families, but mostly I saw parents with the children there. I will join this next year, because it looked so fun and I have a tent lying useless at the attic. 

I will be going to another Camping place near the beach today and will enjoy the sea breeze. I just wanted to wish you a nice weekend and post a few photos I took yesterday from the City Camping. It was early and the area was not totally crowded yet, but I am sure by now it is already full of tents and people enjoying their camping breakfast!

Happy Weekend!

Green grass everywhere!

There are so many hidden places and corners at the Park in the Summer time. The grass is so high at some spots that you only can follow the walking paths, because the green jungle has been spreading all over. It is also the high season for all sort of bugs, including the Tick. I would not maybe sit on these benches in the picture below, the surrounding grass looks like a Tick Paradise. I actually love all sorts of green plants and especially the spiky grass with strong graphic lines and the sharp compositions that these plants seem to be naturally arranged. It symbolises to me the vitality of the Nature and the huge, fast power of growth.

I had two nice walks this weekend with my daughter. This was one of the rare weekends this summer without the rain or cool weather. The evening walk was interesting. In a good Weather all sorts of groups are gathering at the park and you see happy looking people grilling, listening to music, playing outdoor games and enjoying the open or hidden spaces at the park. One bigger group even had their own DJ.

I don't go often for walks later in the evenings. The normal evening routines with the Children are taking so much time and then it is already too late and almost a sleeping time. But I think I should go more often for a walk in the evening. It just gives a peaceful feeling and the fresh air (as fresh as it can be in the City)just clears the mind and the Nature with all its colors gives more space for positive thinking and for the open mind. And with that sort of balanced peace...it is easy to go to sleep.

Nice picnic: Someone was painting, there was a small band playing..like a hippie meeting and looked like a lots of fun!

On Sunday morning we went to Vondelpark first for a Coffee and then watched a little bit the the Half Marathon at the park. There was the European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam last week. We go often for a coffee in "Vondeltuin", which is a nice outdoor Cafe just in the opposite end of the Vondelpark if you walk or cycle through the park from the Centre. There is a playground and a big, high slide where the kids love to climb. In the Summer they also organise "a silent Disco" for a few times. Everyone is wearing earphones and dancing! The people living in the neighbouring houses can sleep in peace and it must be fun to look at the people dancing like this. I would really like to go there once this summer:-).

       

Vondelpark

Inspired from the weekend, I went for a jog and I am ready for this new week! It was good to be outdoors first thing in the morning. So my "feel good recipe" is having some fresh air in the evening and in the morning and I guess every time when it is possible!

The memories from the Summer time are a collection of small moments that matter to you and give a smile on your face. It doesn't have to be something big and spectacular, the best things are connected to the small flashes of feeling, noticing the moment and being present to yourself and the people around you. And the Nature is full of wonders to see if you stop and have a closer look!