Visit to the Relatives

The house where Gramma VB was born and raised. It has been modernized since that time but the basic structure and location is the same.

The house where Gramma and Grampa VB first lived. It is on the side of a sand dune. At the time that they lived there, it was a converted chicken coup. There is farm land all around. Notice the thatched roof.

Behind the sand dunes is the beach/ocean. It was a windy and cold day. Here are Bram and Grace with me.

This is Bram and Grace standing outside there home.

Bram and Grace (Her English Name) were great hosts and Dad and I had a great time.

Our trip started off with a mishap. After Wes left us in Amsterdam, we boarded the train. When it came into the station there were two sections coupled together. We boarded the section that was closest to us from where we were standing on the platform. We should have noticed that everyone was getting on the other section but we didn't. There was one other passenger in our section and she got off at the next station. At the 3rd station, the train came to a stop and then we felt a slight jerk. About 5 minutes later we discovered that the jerk was the sections uncoupling and you guessed it - we were on the wrong section. We were told that another train would be coming through in 20 minutes so not wanting to waste our time, we found a cafe and ordered some coffee and Dad wanted another chocolate pastry (his favorite). Bram and Grace fearing that something had happened when we didn't arrive phoned Wes. Wes in his typical nonplussed attitude told them that he didn't know what happened because he knew we were getting on the train. As it was they had to wait in town for their granddaughter to get out of school and in the meantime, we arrived.

That evening we sat around talking, eating and drinking strong coffee.

The next day they drove us around the countryside. We saw where Gramma and Grampa Van Bruggen had lived when they first got married and the place where Gramma was born and raised. They took us to a museum and we went out for lunch. Bram use to grow tulips for a living so he explained about the industry and showed us places where different flowers were grown and prepared for exporting.

That evening Grace served your father's favorite meal - Snet (Green Pea Soup).

On Sunday, we went with them to their church and later that afternoon, we caught the train back to Amsterdam. The return trip was uneventful.

Overall it was a very pleasant time.