Dutch Family and Friends

October 12

Sam:

On Saturday, we got to go meet Oma’s cousin, Andrea, and her husband, Jo. They live in a little village near Eindhoven. They are really nice. As soon as we got there, they invited us in for coffee and cake. They had toys for Charlotte and I to play with outside, so we left the adults to talk. Andrea also took Charlotte to meet the house next door.

They had e-bikes, but they were only grown-up sized. Mom and Andrea went for a bike ride together. It all went well until it was time for Mom to dismount. She did a “horizontal dismount” (the bike ejected her). Don’t worry – she was fine. Dad tried next, and he was a natural!

Andrea and Jo took us to meet their three sons, who were all very nice. They also showed us their business and Oma’s birth house.

It was getting late in the day, so they convinced us to stay for supper. We had fries, frikandel (sausage), bamischijf (deep-fried ball filled with noodles), and kroketten (soft beef and onion filling). Andrea told us they eat these foods every Saturday night, usually with all the kids and their families over. The food was delicious.

Unfortunately, it was getting late and we had to go. We were sad to leave – Andrea and Jo (and their dog Jacky) were so kind and hospitable!

Charlotte:

When we woke up, we got in the car to goa city called The Hague. It’s where my mom’s high school friend, Allison, lives.

We went to a little village right near where we’re staying (called Schellingwoude) on the way to get some lunch at a market and then we walked around a park in The Hague before we went to Allison’s house.

Allison has a daughter my age named Penny. I hung out with her and we our in fake nails, but mine fell off. They were very pretty. We also did henna tattoos. Here’s a picture:

Sam also had a friend to hang out with. Allison’s second son, Arthur. The boys played Five Nights at Freddy’s and they went out to battle Pokemon.

Allison made us a really good supper of meatballs and stampot. Stampot is a Dutch food which is mashed potatoes with endive in it and gravy on top. I thought she might be a chef.

For dessert we got to try roze koek (pink cake, which is very sweet) and boterkoek (butter cake that tastes like uncooked shortbread). I liked them both.

When we had to leave, I was sad because I really had fun and made a new friend.

Jenn:

It was so great to catch up with Allison. We hadn’t seen each other for about 20 years. We had fun reminiscing about high school days and a bit about what’s gone on since we’d last seen each other. We also got a chance to learn more about life and school in Holland.

Because of Facebook, I felt like I knew her kids a little already, but it was great to actually meet them, and her partner, in person. We even got to meet her oldest son, Mingus, for a few minutes before he left on a school trip to France (!).