Early start of the camper van season, but late start of the writing season……..

I had an early start of the season in April.  I like to go on a short trip at the beginning of the season to get the feel again.  I went to four different places in my province Noord Brabant (the Netherlands). The first one was a small campsite at a farm in Heijningen, very near pretty Willemstad. The second one was near Oosterhout (I lived there as a teenager).  From the campsite I made a lovely bike ride to Drimmelen (in the rain though), where you enter the national park de Biesbosch. But my main goal was to go and see the vineyard of the Norbertine Sisters, and taste their excellent wine in the restaurant de Blauwe Camer, on the premises of the convent. The next stop was the beautiful village of Heusden, where I camped next to the marina and had great views over the river Bergsche Maas. The last stop was at a really nice site in Aarle-Rixtel, beautiful woods and scenery all around, and even a real castle, the Castle of Croy.

Then I had a long pause since I had other things to do, such as rehearsing for and performing a great play with EELT Theatercollectief, during the Theaterroute Nabij (a cultural walk in a natural park where you come across four performances during the walk).  And creating a short performance with our dance community at Dans Brabant. But after that, on 22 June, I took the van and myself to France. My first destination was Le Crotoy in the Baie de Somme, a natural area with lots of water and birds.  On my bike I went to visit other villages around the bay, and I even took an old steam train ride, to see a bit more of the bay.  Then I moved to Nesles la Vallée, to a totally green campsite, where many people who worked in temporary jobs in the area lived in caravans. On the second day I rode down the hill to get a train to Pontoise where I went to see the impressive and emotional performance C’est beau, indeed beautifully performed by a mixed abled group of dancers.  One of the dancers was my dear friend Tchina. I also visited Auvers-sur-Oise, a village where, as in Pontoise, many impressionist painters have lived and worked. Vincent van Gogh, the famous Dutch painter, ended his life when living in Auvers-sur-Oise, I visited his grave. His brother Theo is buried next to him. After that I camped in Arques since I had decided that I wanted to visit the small city of Saint Omer.  It was a charming city indeed with a stunning cathedral, but I could not find all the streets and points of interest on the city map given to me at the Tourist Office.  At some point I gave up and cycled back to the campsite to just sit and relax.  From Arques I drove back to the Netherlands where I had to stop at home for one day and then went to another great campsite in Uddel, in the middle of one of the most beautiful areas in the Netherlands, de Veluwe.  Endless forests and heath lands.  I grew up in a forest area and I could feel the same joy of being in the woods as I felt as a child. The reason for me being in Uddel was to be at the launch of the second book written by another very dear friend, Merel, which was at a venue in Uddel.  Such a great achievement!! And she has more stories to tell, she is already planning to write the third one.

After Uddel I went home for a few days.  Yet another dear friend, Angèle from Chad, is visiting me with her mother, so much fun!!!!  They continue their trip tomorrow, Saturday 13 July, and I will continue mine on Sunday, and celebrate my birthday on Monday near the banks of the Moselle River in Germany.