My trip to Holland

Here are some of my 400 photos I shot during my trip to the Netherlands last week. It was mostly a family visit but as the family pictures are with members of the family there of whom I don't know if they approve of me posting them, for now only the scenic images.

The first day we visited my aunt's hometown Emmen in the beautiful green province of Drenthe. From there it is not far to drive to the province of Groningen. I was born there and studied at the Groningen State University. I just love the City of Groningen and it's always a homecoming to me as soon as I see the Martini tower, "the old grey one" (de oale grieze). I also photographed the house where my mom and aunt where born, as well as the house next door to it, which my greatgrandfather build. Sadly both houses are not in the family anymore. My mom of course ate a raw herring! (eeeek)

In the late afternoon I walked and cycled with my aunt into the forest of Valthe which is directly starting in her backyard! It was beautiful weather all week, around 20-22 Celcius and I didn't wear my jacket at all. (It was a refreshment as it was 37 Celcius when I left Israel and 32 Celcius when I returned!). There is a "hunebed" ( megalithic tomb ) 5 minutes from her house!























On the 4th day we drove to the village of Orvelte, not so far away, where the farmhouses are kept in their original state. We had lunch there, a traditional "Krentewegge" (reasin bread).

Than we continued to Hoogersmilde.
Our ancestor Johannes Hatzmann (1773-1846) came from Diez and settled there in the 1820s. We found his the street where he lived and also many of the descendants at the cemetery including one of his sons born in 1837! In 1967 there were around 1500 Hatzmans living in the Netherlands, all descending from him and that was almost 40 years ago!

Afterwards we drove southwards for a 2 hour drive to Amsterdam to spend a few days with my cousin in Amsterdam.

The fifth day we spend at the fleamarket in the Ijhallen Amsterdam. I didn't bring my camera that day, but I will make some photos of what I found later.























On the 6th day we visited my cousin in Alphen aan de Rijn and had a beautiful view on the green fields of Holland. In the afternoon we visited the centre of Amsterdam for some last minute souvenirs. In the evening we drove to Amsterdam Schiphol airport and took the nightflight home.