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May 28 Sunday sunny Bicycle touring Holland It was a short distance to bicycle to Hilversum through a beautiful wooded area. In Hilversum we found an info map board and looked up Bob and Amy's address. When we arrived a few minutes later on our fully loaded touring bicycles, Amy asked if we'd had breakfast yet. I said I had had a Snickers bar. Definitely a response to bring out the mother in just about anyone. Amy had us lean our touring bicycles against the side of their house and immediately ushered us inside for sustenance. We had croissants, homemade jam of cherry-strawberry-rum (a first for me), peanut butter, chocolate flakes (another first for me) and muffins. After breakfast we went for a long walk to stretch our legs. We passed a large duck pond just down the street from their house. Amy told us a tale about one day some ducks had waddled from the pond to Amy's little swimming pool and splashed around all day in the pool. One mother duck liked the arrangement so well she laid a clutch of eggs under Amy's kitchen window. They finally hatched and the mother duck was very possessive. She would hiss whenever Amy came too close. One day the entire troupe waddled off down the street. Amy followed. The mother duck must have figured it was time to introduce her little ones to the big pond. There is about a foot drop into the pond from the edge. They all walked up and splashed in happily. Except for one hesitant little guy. He stood looking at the big drop-off, peeping anxiously. I asked if the mother pushed him in. Amy said, "No, she was a good mother. She just waited and eventually the little fella worked up enough nerve and splashed in." Our stroll continued thorough the woods and fields along a walking path, crossing recreational bike paths and sandy horse trails. There is a glider field nearby. A couple of gliders soared silently overhead. Bob and Amy's son, Frithjof, came over for supper with Yusef, a friend and ex-roommate. from university. Yusef's parents are Hungarian. He works in the family's antique business in Amsterdam. Frithjof and Yusef are entertaining to talk with, both possessing quick wits and well honed senses of humour. For supper, we started with plates of raw herring and onions. This is a traditional dish in the Netherlands, or so they tell us. My first mouthful tasted pretty gruesome -- too fishy for me. I learned to put on lots of onion and I would stuff the raw herring in with a generous forkful of potato salad. Not bad. We used a fork and knife to eat our raw herring, but they tell us that at the dock the real Dutchmen smother the herring with onion, hold it by the tail and gnaw, gnaw, gnaw, scarfing it down. One raw herring is just an opener for them. I don't have seconds. "Would you like another?" "Oh, no, thank you. One filled me up." I wondered what does one say to someone who feeds you raw fish? "Wow! You're a great cook!"? The main course was cheese fondue with bread chunks dipped in. The secret ingredient was rum. We kidded them that fondues must have been a Dutch creation. One steak and half a loaf of bread can feed six people. It started to rain, falling torrentially. Definitely a good night to be inside. We could hardly hear the rain outside, except for the odd crack of thunder. Frithjof started off in medicine at university. He quit and went into business. He quit and went into German language. Now he's going to Germany to continue there. He has a German girlfriend. (Amy is German, so Frithjof has two passports.) Frithjof speaks six languages. He told us there have still been places where people don't understand any of them. We discussed the meaning of the word "Zo!" that Sharon and I have heard a lot of people say as we passed on our overloaded touring bicycles. They also say "Ah, ha," after they've worked hard. As in, "Ah, ha. Now I need a beer." And "Poo!" -- an exclamation of
surprise. Sharon and I slept in the attic room. There are two single beds. A washer and dryer occupies the adjoining room with sink and skylight. And Amy's art supplies. She does fantastic watercolour paintings of flowers. She recently starting working with oil. Her results looks terrific. She had an exposition in a gallery. She gives art lessons. Sharon and I were hoping some would brush off on us as we slept in the art room. Tons of art books, too. Received our mail. Thanks, Faye. Along with our new Mastercard there is a picture of Janna, our newest niece, with a note from Annette extolling the wonders of parenthood and how Janna would keep them up all night, but then give that irresistible toothless grin and melt her parents' hearts. |
