The rest of Holland - abbreviated.

I have finally accepted that I cannot share every photo I love. It would take me another 3 months, just to share the REST of the photos from our 2-week stay in the Netherlands. It takes every fiber of restraint and discipline in my body (which is not much), to not share them ALL! (and in my mind, I feel like I've been pretty discerning....despite 4 posts dedicated to the first 4 days in Holland.) WHAT is wrong with me?? :)
The real beauty in our trip to Holland was that we were 1) able to spend 2 weeks with Nana & Pake (Wayne's parents) but 2) to meet so many family members from the Dykstra (Dad's side) and Beldman (Mum's side) family members, still living in Holland. We absolutely loved meeting them all and, for me personally, it was a big deal, given this is the name I took on, five years ago. It was amazing for me to meet the great-aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins whom I have heard so much about over these last 8 years.
So, here comes the abbreviated version of the rest of the trip. Have patience with me...

"Joyful citizens of Zutphen with their Canadian liberators in the town centre."

Meeting cousin Rita Beldman

 The Beldman family farm - this building here would've been the hay-barn. The pole in the center of the roof has pulleys and ropes which lift the entire roof as it fills up with hay. So the entire thatched roof-bit raises vertically until its about 6 feet higher.

 The inside view.  Now it is used as a sort of seating area - they had a TV in there, an old radio, and lots of beer.

Original stones on the floor.

 

You just tuned into whatever city you wanted to listen to: Roma, Brussels, London, Milano, BBC Light, Budapest, Oslo...Now we have I-tunes Radio and Pandora.

Beldman (Wayne's mother's maiden name), carved into the wall inside the house. Who knows when this was done.

Believe it or not this was used to hold fresh bread - in order to a) keep it fresh, and b) keep the rats away from it. My guess would've been milk jug. ??

Wilma's 1st cousins: Rita in the teal and her sister, Gea (pronounced Hay-ah, with the guttural sound on the H)

This is Rita & Gea's mother's home. Their brother still lives in half the house and their mother lived there until 6 months ago when she had to move into a nursing home (still in this town). Many Dutch houses are built like this. There is a full separate house/apartment in one portion and then separate entrances/walls which separate them from an entirely different house. It was a step above the normal "duplex" we think of in North America. They technically share the same roof, but they are fully closed-off houses and often it is the mother/father or in-laws who live in this section.  

Wilma told me Oma Feddema (Wayne's grandmother) used to wear this when she was younger. Boldoot - a well-known Dutch perfume.  

Rita and Gea took us into the town to the old-timey museum. This was amazing to see. Picture a space just slightly wider than a coffin, but shorter. They slept in this upper part, over wood and hay, and then kept all food in a dry 'cellar' compartment, below the bed.

Gea and her husband own a dairy farm so we were able to tour it and meet the cows. I think this may have been my first ever working-farm tour! Of course I was overcome with sadness for the cows being away from their babies and had to set that aside so it didn't take over my whole mind. :)

Funny "City-girl" moment: I don't know if you can tell but the black cow has her head through the fence and can't get it back through. This is when we first arrived at the house. I walk over and see the cow is trying to maneuver her head out. So, being who I am, I calmly walk over to Gea & Rita and say, (in a tone that relays *I don't want to alarm you but....*), "Um, that cow over there has her head stuck in a fence and she seems a bit upset" (expecting them to rush over and free the poor beast!). They say something in Dutch together and then Wayne and Wilma laugh at me. Gea tries to explain that her husband is coming to pick this cow up later as she's pregnant and this is how they 'hold them' there.
"Oh.......False alarm then." No oppression happening here, carry on everyone. Hence, I am not a farmer, and am a 3/4-time vegetarian. :)

These cows on the left (which I saw later on our tour) are held in the same contraption.

Ok, I didn't improve drastically on cutting down on photos but I really wanted to show these parts! On the next one, I'll keep working on my trimming capabilities.