Back to Maassluis

Well in the post we said we would be heading off to Germany but we recieved some 'blackmail' from our good friends-PJ and Claudia (http://www.dutchduowildlife.nl/)- to attend PJ's birthday party on Monday. So we left Borne and drove across the country (which isn't very big so it's not that far). We stopped to make cards with limited art supplies and bought some Graanjenever (Gin for PJ) once we found the special liquor stall in the supermarket. Five o'clock, we arrived at their newly rennovated and lime green mobile home in Maassluis and told tales of our travels in Holland since we'd seen them (only two weeks ago).
We had yet another dutch BBQ and met their friends and had a fun party.
Next day we got up late and mucked around. In the afternoon PJ and Claudia went off to the dentist and we met up outside Claudia's brother's apartment in the centre of Rotterdam. We walked to a market selling various things and Claudia bought some fabric for a witches dress because she is such a talented tailoress.
We came across an interesting candy stall and in true liberation of the Netherlands people we purchesed and observed licorice drop resembling that of the male sex organs.
Next to the market we came across some very interesting buildings also known as the Tree Houses(pictured above). We went inside one of the small yellow cubes tilted and sitting on poles. The cubes are split into three levels, the bottom levels you can see the street below and the top gives a view of Rotterdam (and the other 'Treehouses'). There were lot's of these interesting shaped houses clustered together like a forest. We really liked seeing how it's possible to live in one but wouldn't be to keen on doing it ourselves.
We walked along the 'Manhattan-like' skyline of Rotterdam and  drove along the eight to ten lane motorway but to Maasluis and ate all the leftovers from last night night in the pouring rain under PJ' leaky shelter.

Borne

After leaving Texel we drove south east to the Afsluitdijk Dike where set up camp for the night with about 20 other campers. The next morning we had pancakes cooked by William with a wooden spoon because we have lost our spatular. They were very nice with a good coat of applemoes and some syrup. Then we drove to Borne and found a farm/campground outside Borne which would be our home for the next few days.


Borne is where our Oma and Opa lived before coming to New Zealand. Our campground is on a farm which grows veal and maize. There is a trampoline and lots of space and we have power hook up so we finally get hot showers. The first family we visited in borne is Dad’s cousin Ellen and her family, her husband Johan and son Stan sadly Judith was on Holiday so we couldn‘t meet her.

Ellen took us on a walking tour of the village and pointed out all the streets and houses where our relatives once lived. We saw the house our great great grandfather built also known as the ‘Knippen Huis- (the ‘pennywise’ family house).We went into a small chapel and lit a candle for Oma.

On our walk we saw small brass memorial plaques in the ground where Jews had lived before they were taken away by the Nazi’s.

After our walk we had a BBQ in the backyard and we had such a good time we didnt leave until 1am it was really nice Thank You so much Ellen, Johan and Stan we really loved meeting you and we had an awesome time.



The next morning we went to the market. We brought cheese, fruit and bread. We had the bread for lunch with butter. It was a very solid loaf loaded with currents it weighed almost 2kg. After lunch we had a we had a nap the went to visit Karen and her partner Rene, Karen is Ellen’s sister.

We had dinner with her on the patio she made a very tasty Lasagne which had about 8 layers of pasta and a surprise layer of Ham. It was a work of art.

On the 22nd we relaxed, William went running, we played with the cats and on the trampoline. That night we had Karen and Ellen and there family over for dinner and had a shortage of cutlery and limited cooking abilities but it was fun apart from the all the flies.

The next day Karen and Rene called round for coffee and we walked into Borne to wish Ellen a happy birthday and  made her cards.

We had a BBQ with Maria’s brothers-Andre and Frans and his partner Hermien. We enjoyed lots delicious Dutch food and hospitality. We watched a movie on Frans’s massive flat screen and surround sound which he said was a hobby.
Thank you, for everything.

On Saturday Mum went shopping with Ellen and discovered what a lot of the weird packages were in the supermarket. Some of us then went looking for a Goat farm but came across a small farm and cheese shop, they had just started making hard cheese and we were really inspired and have some good information and ideas to start something small of our own. We smelt nice roses in the Border Gardens part of the old Estate of Twickel. We went for a nice walk that night around the farms and countryside around Borne and had our first dinner on our own since we arrived.

Sunday, We visited Oma’s cousin Anne and her partner Hans. They live near the Meyarshop, we had a nice time in their garden. Hans was very talented at drawing and funny. He gave us some drawings of Borne. We looked through photo albums and started to understand more dutch. We saw the rock where our Oma used to sit and the church where she got married. Then had an exciting Indonesian dinner with Karen and Rene.

We have had an interesting time discovering where our Grandparents grew-up and meeting new family. We’re intending to leave tomorrow and head off towards Germany but we like it here so much we may never leave.

Texel

Hi Everybody,
We have just stayed with dad's cousin Maria for a couple of days on the island, Texel. It has been really awesome, they live right by the beach so we have been for walks and yesterday we went to the beach and built a massive castle while the adults went for a walk and got some apple pie and coffee.
Maria's husband Anton is the manager of a museum so went went there on our first day. It was more like a flash aquiarim and learning centre, it is real modern with lots of exhibits and hands on activities not a "boring old museum" that only adults would enjoy. We all had a great time. They also rescue seals so we watched the seals get feed. Right now they are building a new set of seal pools which lots like its going to be great. Last night we had a real special visit while it was closed we got to see all the seals sleeping and even got to watch them feed the pups. We also walked in the dunes and watched the sunset.
Today we are going to a market and then going to explore the rest of the island.
Thank You Maria and Anton for your hospitality. We loved the food and activities. Thank You from the Nieuwys.

Alkmaar Cheese Market

After we left PJ and Claudia’s we had our first big family mission of our new journey. We had to clear the road which was blocked by a nice sized tree which had come down in the stormy weather. It took all seven of us to move it far enough so we could get past, it was a good team building exercise all lifting and pushing together. Once we had drove past we continued towards Alkmaar and stopped on the way at a petrol station for internet. At Alkmaar we had more problems this time because our GPS didn’t have the new motorways on it’s map. Luckily we ran into an very helpful man with colourful suspenders and he told us use we could parked by the dyke next to a corn field he also gave us some tips about the cheese market.

The next day we parked in Alkmaar and walked into the cobbled square. It was fenced off with more than a thousand sitting stacked in rows ready for the market. We got in early to get a good spot. At ten the cheese bell rang to begin the market. A lady in a cheese coloured outfit explained what happens. The square was buzzing with people all dressed up there where the men in white with different coloured straw hats who carried the cheese on sleds to be weighed and then put in the traditional wooden carts. There were girls dressed in the traditional Dutch outfits with white hats and clogs selling guide books and the officials in white with who drilled into the delicious gouda cheeses and handed out sticks to be tasted by the crowd. Then the rain and the wind came but they just covered the cheeses and continued. We having no raincoats took refuge in a clothing shop. Later we looked at the stalls that sold more cheese, clogs and Dutch pancakes. We couldn’t get mum and dad out of one cheese shop there were cheeses we have never seen before. At 12:30 it was all over and the cheese was back in the trucks and we were cheesed out so we walked back to the camper.



Later we were on the road and came across a goat farm which was also a foundation that provided jobs and homes for disabled to work. It was neat, a young lady showed us the goats, pigs, chicken and horses. Then we watched them milk the goats and learnt heaps from talking about the way they and we farm. We then it the road and are at a marina having spaghetti for dinner. We are going on the ferry to Texel tomorrow to see Maria, dads cousin. We wish Pa all our love and hope he has a Happy Birthday.

Love,

The Nieuwys

Holiday in Linde

Today we left the very comfortable, luxurious holiday home of PJ and Claudia. We spent three nights there just chilling having fun and relaxing. We didn’t have to worry about anything because our biggest effort each day was required for the cooking.


“We ‘had’ to use up all our Dutch food,” which made great toppings for dad’s pancakes - stroop, syrup, hagel, bananas and strawberries and plenty of other goodies. As Tom put it, “ We need more pancakes, there are to many toppings.”

Dinner was just as delicious, barbequed by PJ on the grill, there was sausage, chicken, salad and bread all with plenty of yummy peanut sauce. And to finish it off Claudia would spoil us all with bowels of Vla (Like custard). We all really enjoyed playing with the can of whipped cream too. During the day us kids stayed at home while the adults would go out for a few hours in town. They would always come home with more stuff to add to our already full camper- Chairs, food and shoes, we now must have at least 20 pairs blocking the door and tripping us all over.

Thank You PJ and Claudia for absolutely everything you’ve done for us and hope to see you soon probably in Holland and maybe in Mexico or even New Zealand.

William

Holland Photos For Last 2 Posts