The Kinderdijk ~ Child’s Dike

My love for children’s literature be it fiction, folk stories, nonfiction, nursery rhymes, songs or whatever, have always captured my heart. This is one of the reasons I enjoyed teaching young children for so many years. I loved being able to share my passion for reading and relate it to other areas in their lives. So when I moved to The Netherlands and was told about a wonderful place to see windmills, my heart leapt with excitement when I also learned about the folktale that went along with the beauty of The Kinderdijk.

As the story goes, in 1421 a great flood came upon The Netherlands. The area known as Grote Hollandse Waard flooded. When the storm stopped for a while someone went on to the dyke to see what could be salvaged from the storm. It was then that someone saw a cradle floating in the water. As the cradle came nearer a cat was then seen. The cat had been jumping from side to side keeping the cradle afloat and inside.. a baby slept quietly.. Nice and dry. The legend and folktale has been published in English as… The Cat and the Cradle.

Let me just say this… About 20% of The Netherlands or low country is below sea level and we get a heck of a lot of rain. Those two little factors would make it a dangerous place for people to live if the Dutch hadn’t learned how to deal with flooding and too much water. After digging canals to channel the excess water out of the area of the Kinderdijk, the Dutch once again needed a new method to rid the water from the fields and homes when the water levels would rise. A series of windmills were built to pump the water into a reservoir.

We drove to the little village of Kinderdijk, which is about 15 miles from Rotterdam, to see one of Holland’s most famous tourist sights. Nowhere in the world can you see this many windmills at once. After a little swoop through the gift shop and a little lunch we decided to take the tour boat to see the windmills. I knew the view would be fantastic and would get us up close. 

 For 4.50E we were able to leisurely sail past the winds of time and catch a glimpse of history from The Netherlands.  There are 19 windmills gathered in this area that date back hundreds of years and still work but the water is now pumped from one of the largest pumping stations in the world.

The entire area was truly amazing and I will enjoy going back with friends and family often. Next visit, I think I’ll meander up to one of the little café’s that overlook the 

windmills.

A day at The Kinderdijk ~ You bet!!

Down the Rabbit Hole

When my husband had to go to Hamburg, Germany for work, he asked me to go with him. Usually he flies there but we decided we would drive the 5 hours and enjoy the German countryside. At times I felt like Alice in Wonderland. Curiouser and curiouser. 

Germany is famous for many things…. Hummel’s, which when asked no one knew what we were talking about, Oktoberfest, which apparently is in September and the autobahn. A lot of people dream of a road without any speed limits and my husband is no exception. I quickly pulled out my pillow and closed my eyes. I was falling deep into the rabbit whole just as I heard him saying something about “The need for speed”. Luckily they’ve installed several areas where speeds are posted and there was a lot of construction and rain slowing us down a bit.

The countryside in Germany was stunning! Pockets of little villages dotted the farmland along our way to Hamburg. Arriving in Hamburg with the view of the magnificent harbor with all the cargo holds was quite impressive. You could tell this was one of the largest ports in Europe. And with that sight in front of me an old familiar gnawing in my gut returns. I’m in a foreign country and I don’t speak the language.

As the next day began I summoned up my courage to venture out on my own while my husband went to work. Some people may find this not a big deal, but to me it’s a tad intimidating. Step one, get a map and step into the map to familiarize myself with my surroundings. I felt like Joey on “Friends” when they go to London and he has to step into the map to get the right directions going. But, whatever it takes!!! Step two, make sure I’ve got the address to the hotel so if I get lost I can get my way back. Step three, make sure I’ve got money for a cab to get myself back when and if I get lost. Step four…. Go!

 I headed down the street to one of the large train stations. I found a lovely elderly couple who didn’t speak English but they pointed another person in my direction to help me find the area to buy a ticket for the Hop on Hop off Bus. Thank you so kindly to the helpful people in the world.

I wish I could say the same for the man that sold me my ticket for the bus ride. The bus stop was not near the train station and I would need to go a little bit to find it. I asked the ticket salesman where I would find the stop. He reminded me of The Caterpillar from Alice's adventures. He was rude and spoke in short confusing sentences. He haphazardly told me where to go. I said thank you and said I would return if I couldn’t find it. I went to the left as he had instructed me to do and came to a bus stop. But I knew it was not the correct one. I asked several kind people there where it might be and they had no idea. Clearly, I was not in the right area. So I went back to the ticket man. He laughed at me and said “How could you not find it!!!” It’s right there! There’s no way you could miss it!” All said while laughing. Then he resaid his directions this time adding several details he had failed to mention before. I ventured out again, and this time, after crossing a street, passing through a hotel and then venturing down two more streets I found the bus stop. No big deal… I’m alive and I’m not lost anymore. I’m hoping the ticket salesman will be blessed with the opportunity to travel to foreign country and have someone give him crappy directions and laugh when he gets lost.

I will once again give praise to the Hop on Hop off bus companies!! I love being able to ride the bus around the cities and have someone point out all the wonderful sights and Hamburg was just as delightful. The bus driver notified the tour guide that I spoke English and he immediately said the tour in German and English. Thank you so very much. He also made sure I was comfortable with my surroundings and was able to return to my hotel with ease.

The next day I had two different quests in mind. I wanted to see St. Michaelis church and I wanted to see where the Beatles made their mark on Hamburg.

We began at the beautiful St. Michaelis. We were lucky enough to visit when the church was open and when the organ player was playing. I lit a candle for my parents and sat to listen to the music. Then we climbed down the stairs to the crypts below the church. Yes, I know it sounds creepy but it’s my thing. J Wonderfully lit and well maintained it was nothing but beautiful. And it’s because of meandering like this with a love and respect for cemeteries that we came upon this unique burial site. I could do nothing but smile and say a little prayer.

Back in the light and onto the next mission… said in my best Ed Sullivan voice THE BEATLES!!!!! We ventured a short walk from the church to the Reeperbahn, a street not only famous for night life, strip clubs and sex shops but also where The Beatles got a wonderful start before becoming famous.

What was life like before... I Am The Walrus? Before... Let it Be? Before... A Hard Day's Night? We went during the day because I had no desire to be in that area at night. Apparently it was just as sketchy back then as it is now. Daylight was a little safer but I was still on high alert. 

Most of the bars where they played are long gone but there are a few areas where memories are left for people. Walking in the footsteps of the Beatles.. I’m glad I did it but not an area to be in alone.

Between shopping, beer fests and enjoying the sights, I ran out of time. I seriously considered going back to the ticket salesman on the last day to tell him I was still lost. The look on his face would have been priceless. This American Girl was not speaking Jabberwocky! I’ll save that for next time.

Twas bryllyg, and ye slythy toves

Did gyre and gymble in ye wabe:

All mimsy were ye borogoves;

And ye mome raths outgrabe.

Smutch

I’ve decided I’m finally able to list another language besides English on my Facebook page. I’m calling it Smutch. I know some Dutch. Not much but some.

I’m able to say hello and have a small conversation with someone who is Dutch if they are willing to help me through the big unknown words. I can now count to ten and can count change back from a 50.. with a little help. I can say thank you, and here you go with ease. I can say good bye several different ways and I’m also able to make my words sing at the right inflections when saying them. I know directions for north, south, east and west and can usually point my car in the right direction when doing so.

Reading Dutch is a lot easier than understanding it when someone is talking. Or if I ask them to slow down a bit I’m able to pick out and get most of the meaning from what they’re saying. And if I give them that “Deer in the headlight” look, they always switch back to English. I’m able to read most items on the menu now. And signs are becoming more and more familiar. Listening to the radio, I no longer tune out what is being said during the news. I’m able to understand when they are talking about a town nearby, the traffic report and the temperature that is forecasted for the day. But I’m still shocked when the F word comes flying out just as plain as day.

The Dutch language is very gruff and gurggly and difficult to pronounce. And just like the different accents in the US it’s often hard to imitate the sounds and cadence of the Dutch language. But with a positive can do spirit and a sense of humor I’m learning. Most of the people I’ve met are so excited and willing to help me with my Dutch and have a lot of patience with my progress. They know it’s a difficult language and are willing to help me.

I’m headed to Germany this week so I’m thinking I’ll listen to Wayne Newton sing Danke Schoen and get a few tips on how to speak German.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUryeDLpY_c

So for now…. Tot Ziens J

Born in the USA

What’s it like to be born in the USA? Well for each individual American citizen, life is different. Different parents, homes, schools, friends, neighborhoods, stores, restaurants, back yards, front porches, churches and life experiences that help form the person we become.  But there is one common thread that runs through our veins and that is the thread of our flag and our love for our country.

Old Glory tells a lot about what it’s like to be American. The white stripes signifying purity and innocence, the red stripes signifying hardiness and valor, and the blue signifying vigilance, perseverance and justice. The thirteen stripes represent our original thirteen colonies and the fifty stars, the symbol of the divine goal which man is to aspire, represents our fifty states. Our flag is one of the most recognized symbols in the world. She is respected, feared, hated and loved.

The Grand Canyon

The stars and stripes have been worn on t shirts, as pants, carried across many foreign lands in order to help others in need, taken to the moon, hung from house to house, waved by little children running up and down streets, displayed at every grave site in American and on foreign soil if that person fought for his or her country, and yes proudly flown over buildings throughout the world telling others that we are here, we will be heard and we won’t back down to injustice.

Mackinac Island

People always seem to wonder why America seems to stick their nose into other people’s business. Why are we here and there fighting for things that are not in our own neighborhoods? Well, the best way for me to explain it is that we don’t put up with bullies. Everyone has bullies. That kid in the school yard or neighborhood that always seems to have a gang of kids who support that kid and the mean things they do. But that’s not even true. A bully is weak, scared and a coward. But he has the ability to scare the others around him by intimidation to stand beside him while he picks on others who are not as strong. He wrongly convinces others that it’s ok to hurt others. It’s NOT ok! It’s not ok to hurt innocent women and children, sick and elderly or the poor and oppressed.

Moving to The Netherlands exactly one year ago today has given me deeper appreciation and pride for what my country stands for. So many people from this beautiful country continually come up to me to say thank you for helping them in a war that happened so many years ago. I wasn’t even alive yet when it occurred but I’m so very proud of our forefathers for standing up to a bully and saying NO! We have bullies in our own country. We don’t tolerate it in our neighborhoods and we won’t in yours either. We got your back!

Pure joy.. Tractor ride in Nebraska

Around the world we all have different beliefs and thoughts and that is the beauty of mankind. God or whoever you believe in put us here to do well in the world. To work together, play together, sing, laugh, cry, and build families and friendships together. We were not meant to be torn apart. So the next time you see the American flag… try to remember we’re all just trying to play nice.

Best Friends

To my friends and family back home… Happy 4^th of July. Someone throw a burger on the grill for me please. And may God Bless The United States of America.