Blogs from Breda, North Brabant, Netherlands, Europe - page 2

BOATS AND WEATHER!!! By 1600 on the 9th, Isabela had been lifted in and was on her new mooring, with canopy up and many other things back in place. A good job because it was blowing old boots – when isn’t it? – and at times pouring with rain and accompanying thunder and lightning. We were exhausted, fell into bed by 9pm UK time and slept 11 hours! Drimmelen is enormous – about 1200 boats near the base of a cooling tower and 2 big chimneys but it really doesn’t matter and this is where it is planned Isabela will stay, not in a tent but in a proper large house, for the winter. The following day the weather continued to be terrible, there were jobs to be done and then we discovered we had a ... read more

Our visit back to Etten Leur had to do with a visit to family in Kalmhout, Belgium. Our Cousin Ronald was over and we promised him that we would be there on the 13th of August. There was also a birthday of the twins at the same time. We had not been there for five years, when the kids were in their school years. We were welcomed back by Jola & Hugo in Etten Leur on the Friday. Kalmhout is just 30 kilometres away from Etten Leur, that made it easy. That Saturday we set up the Tom Tom to Kalmhout. It is all so close and before we knew we were there. The kids had partied the night before so we were lucky that Ronald was up to open the door. There was this warm ... read more

April was a busy month, with friends from England coming to visit me. Mike came for a weekend, we saw a football match taking place for homeless players and spent almost a whole day cycling around Mastbos woods to find the Galderse Meren where we dived into the freezing cold lake just to jump out again! There is also a nudist beach there but we didn't go! Mum told me that people have drowned in the lake because they get cramp from the cold as it's so deep. I was told that the hieght of the Grote Kerk could fit under the deepest centre of the lake! This month has been very hot and summery, so I showed a couple French boys the way to the lake where again I couldn't resist a quick swim, then ... read more

Bought a couple smart suits at the second hand shop to alter and two of the same black dresses as part of the costume for the hosts and waitresses in our attraction. So I've been busy picking at the stitches, cutting and altering, to create a couple smart penguin tailed suits with added Baroque fabric. After faffing around on the first one the second only took a day to copy as I finally knew what I was doing! I found myself helping others out more with their tasks to have a break from doing one thing. After a tutorial I realised we had drifted away from our orginal task of promotion so returned to finish the poster which will be placed around the school for students to find. Reality finally kicked in when I was reminded ... read more

Got a message from a French Erasmus student today saying she wanted to spend a day celebrating carnival with me so we met up in the afternoon, her in her blue outfit and me in half of my Dutch outfit. From 4pm till 7pm we danced in the bars to Dutch silly and jolly carnival music which I soon got the feel for! We joined in the singing as best we could and chain and tunnel dancing- it ended up like early afternoon clubbing! It sure was great to see everyone so dressed up everywhere in town and acting silly in their costumes to such frivolous music! Most people bought their outfits from indians, superheros, pirates, hippies, policemen, princesses, gangsters, babies, animals, birds but I also saw a group dressed as pregnant chavs which was plain ... read more