The Netherlands

End of February we went to the Netherlands for a week to visit Maud's dad. Our first impression when getting under the lowest layer of clouds above Schiphol is 'shades of grey'. The sky, the earth, the roads, the buildings - everything looks greyish. When we walk from the airport to the railway station we notice people adapt by choosing grey for cars and clothing. This may sound weird to Dutch people, but friends who are ex-pats in the Netherlands or also live abroad share this black-and-white movie feeling.


We stay at a prime location: downtown Amsterdam with Maud's friend since almost 33 years Kristien. Looking out of the window it's hard to imagine we still were in downtown Morwa yesterday. Buildings instead of bush, cars and bicycles instead of goats and cows, tar instead of red sand, and triple layers of clothing instead of shorts and a top - our world is upside down.


In Botswana we use reed instead of twigs, but the brooms look familiar.


Food-wise this week is like a prolonged Christmas, eating all the Dutch goodies we missed the last months and drinking litres of good coffee.


This trip gives us a chance to have a look at our Dutch house, and, more important, to check out our little boat. The rain is raining plenty in the Lowlands for sure!


Here's another thing we recognize: Heineken Bier.


Walking to and fro the station everyday we enjoy the 'Big City' feeling - and realize it's great for a visit during the summer, but not for us to live in year round.