Letters Home - during our time in Switzerland as expats

Growing up in another country

31/05/2021 emsia.kruger

The school year in Europe is coming to an end. Excitement is in the air as people are starting to get ready for the summer holidays. However, many people have to say goodbye to friends and prepare for a new beginning in another country.

Adapting to a new school and country

Zander joined the international school in August 2019. He settled in well. He has awesome friends from all over the world, and together they are adapting to a new country. We enjoy the new adventure but still have challenges. Due to the language and culture of another country, we often do not understand certain things. The long dark winters and the loss of family and friends are challenging. Covid-19 certainly also made its contribution to the list of challenges.

The reality of an international school like the Inter-Community School Zurich (ICS) is that people come and go constantly and must regularly go through changes and adjustments. Most families at school live in a country for an average of three years and then move on to another country. A response to my semi-Afrikaans farewell letter, provides a good example of this.

Comments from a Dutch mom preparing for their move

Thank you for the note. I cannot really say that we are returning home. We left the Netherlands (NL) 22 years ago and hardly ever went back. We were always joking that we only went back for weddings and funerals. Of course, the kids are Dutch but never lived in NL. They see Switzerland as their home. Out of 22 years abroad, we lived 11 years in Switzerland (in 3 entries). When living in Dubai or Germany, we went to Switzerland for home leave. There are mixed emotions in the family.

It will be good for the kids to live in their ‘native’ country for some years. It is a good career opportunity for my husband, but we are not all happy to be moving to the NL. My son just does not want to go. His first reaction was to find another family in Switzerland to live with. He received some offers! It is funny to read and understand the Afrikaans language!

So many languages

ICS Parent Association Facebook Profile picture

The international school has many processes to help these parents and children who arrive and depart deal with the change. Many of the children who arrive at the school cannot even speak English properly. There are dedicated English teachers to help them. The children must learn German as a second language and from grade 6 also French or Spanish. Zander is doing well with the German but finds the Spanish very challenging. He must also maintain his Afrikaans for when we go back to South Africa.

Third Culture Kids

As a result of globalization, there is a group of children growing up in countries other than where they were born. These children are referred to as Third Culture Kids (TCK). They do not learn the culture of their country of birth. Because they move around, they also do not acquire the culture of the residence country. They learn the mixed culture of the families of the international school which they attend. It is therefore called a Third Culture.

The advantage of the situation for the children is that they are very adaptable and have many contacts and knowledge of different countries and cultures. The disadvantage of the situation is that children struggle with identity. Culture is critical for the development of your identity. It helps individuals answering the questions of “Who am I?” and “Where do I come from?

Change is part of life

Change is part of the rhythm and nature of life. We need to see the role of change positively and integrate it into our lives without fear. Change helps us become aware of new things, learn new skills, and in the process, get to know ourselves better.

Kind regards

Emsia

Cheese is part of the Swiss culture

25/05/2021 emsia.kruger

Food and drink form a critical part of any culture and heritage. When people share their food with you, they share their culture and a piece of their heart.

Western Cape, South Africa

When I moved to the Western Cape, my Stellenbosch friends introduced me to wine. Wine knowledge forms an essential part of any student’s informal training. The various wine estates in the Western Cape offer many wine-tasting opportunities. The Western Cape added seafood and Cape Malay cuisine to my favourite food list. We inherited Cape Malay cooking from the slaves from Malaysia, Indonesia, and East Africa brought to Cape Town during the 17th and 18th centuries.

Swiss cheese

We are expanding our Swiss cheese knowledge. There are numerous Swiss cheese varieties and different regional specialities. Just like wine, cheese-making is an art form. The Swiss take pride in their cheese made with local milk and excellent craftsmanship.

There are more than 450 different cheese varieties in Switzerland. Cheese-making consumes almost half of the milk produced in Switzerland. The top-produced Swiss cheese is Le Gruyère. Emmentaler cheese, with its distinctive holes, is the variety of cheese most exported.

Both Gruyère and Emmentaller cheeses are marked as fromage d’alpage / Alpkäse. This badge means that the cheesemakers produce the cheeses during the summer when the cows graze in the mountains. Many Swiss farmers take their cows to the pastures in the spring and bring them back in the autumn. The herbs and flowers the cows eat where they graze give the cheese a specific character and flavour.

Gruyère

We recently had the privilege of visiting a cheese factory, La Maison du Gruyère, in the medieval town of Gruyère in the Alps, close to the French border. The farmers in the village have been making this cheese since the 12th century to survive the winter months. They later started exporting some of the cheese to France and Italy, but the world only officially recognized the name during the 17th century.

We have seen them heat the unpasteurized cow’s milk in copper pots and add enzymes to thicken it. The ageing of Gruyère cheese lasts between 3 and 10 months. Like wine, the cheese gets better with time. We grew up with Heidi and Peter’s stories. I now realize that they ate Fondue cheese every night with Grandpa in the winter, just like the people still do.

In Gruyère, we visited the old castle built on a hill in the 13th century. The white landscape, caused by the previous night’s snowfall, took us back in imagination to those times. The walls are thick, the windows few, and the giant fireplace in each room had to keep the people warm and cosy. They socialized around long tables while drinking wine and eating their melted Gruyère cheese and bread. In the dark winter evenings, they enjoyed music together in the music room.

ICS International Festival

The families at Zander’s international school are from all over the world. Every year the International Community School (ICS Zurich) Parent Association organises an international festival during which everyone can see and taste each other’s traditional food of their country of origin. As social contact is still limited, they will release an ICS international cookbook this year. I submitted our Cape Malay curry and rice recipe as a South African contribution to the Cookbook.

Kind regards

Emsia

Are dandelions weeds, wildflowers or herbs?

18/05/2021 emsia.kruger

During spring in Switzerland, the fields are coloured yellow by the masses of dandelions visible everywhere. After only a few days, the yellow flowers turn into white round seed heads easily dispersed by the wind. When we look at dandelions, we can see weeds that are difficult to eradicate, beautiful wildflowers or precious herbs.

Beneficial medicinal properties

I have only recently become aware that dandelions have many beneficial medicinal properties, and herbalists see them as precious herbs. Dandelions are a rich source of vitamins A, B complex and C, minerals such as iron, potassium, and zinc.

In the northern hemisphere, people have used dandelions for healing since the 10th century. The Indian, traditional Chinese, and European herbalists used it for liver and gallbladder support and as an antidote to an upset stomach. Nowadays, scientists do studies to test their effectiveness in the prevention and treatment of cancer and to assist in reducing cholesterol.

Inspiration for healthy drinks

The plant is related to chicory, and people roast and use its roots as a caffeine-free substitute for coffee. They also use dried or fresh roots to make herbal tea with many health benefits. I read that the Americans use dandelion flowers to make wine and the British to make beer. I smiled at the comments that people drink it more for the health benefits than the taste.

Dandelions are an attraction for bees and other insects

Dandelions are rich in pollen and nectar and are a great attraction for bees and insects that flock to them and disappear into the calyxes of the yellow flowers. When you walk through a field of yellow flowers on a warm summer day, you hear the buzzing sound of bees collecting nectar.

Healthy feed for animals

The cows in Switzerland delight in the yellow flowers when you look at the contrast between their pasture and the area next door. Ideal cattle grazing should be like a ‘salad bowl’ of grasses and legumes for the cattle. Fortunately, plants that people consider to be weeds in their lawns, such as dandelions or clover, are very nutritious for cattle, and they enjoy them.

Legends and symbolic meaning

According to legend, if you can blow all the seeds off the dandelion bud with a single breath, then the person you love will love you too. If there are seeds left, the person you are in love with may have doubts about their feelings for you. This video by Emmy award-winning British photographer Neil Bromhall shows the transformation of the dandelion flower to the seed head, leaving me in awe.

Dandelions have many positive symbolic meanings. They represent perseverance and endurance to overcome the challenges that life throws at us. Dandelions adapt very well to their environments. They are often resistant to many herbicides and grow in different soil types.

I will hold on to the positive symbolic meaning of the golden yellow flowers in the times when life throws challenges my way.

regards

Emsia

South Africa in the Swiss news

11/05/2021 emsia.kruger

People’s reactions are interesting when I introduce myself as a South African in Switzerland. Those who have travelled to South Africa will comment on the beautiful scenery or the friendly people. Others whose impressions depend on the news carefully search for words. South Africa has been in the Swiss news during the past few months for various reasons.

Kruger coins

One of the lighter topics that made the news was about South African lost treasures. In a Swiss safe, they recently discovered a bag with gold Kruger coins placed there in World War II for safekeeping. After many decades, the coins are now available at the SA Mint. Charl is a coin collector and has started to collect Swiss coins to commemorate every year we are here in Switzerland.

South African billionaire Johann Rupert

South African billionaire Johann Rupert made headlines when he flew to Switzerland for a Covid-19 vaccine. Johann Rupert is a resident of Geneva, where his Swiss company, Richemont, is located. However, he drove to another canton to get the vaccination at a vaccination centre run by Hirslanden. Hirslanden is part of the South African Mediclinic group, of which the Rupert family’s Remgro company is one of the largest shareholders.

In a country like Switzerland, with many rules and fairness, his actions have been openly criticised in the newspapers. Swiss residents criticised him for travelling to a canton other than where he lived. In addition, he was not yet 75 years old, in line with the first grouping of vaccinations. He justified his actions in the newspaper by saying, “I’ve been in Switzerland for 31 years, and I pay my taxes and health insurance here”.

Bloomberg article with Headline - Billionaire Angers Swiss With Early Covid Shot

Daniel Liedtke, the CEO of the Hirslanden group, very carefully chose his words in his response to the newspapers. The article reads: “On 11 January, the Hirslanden Group carried out pilot vaccinations in the Münsterlingen Hospital with twelve test persons. In retrospect, we made mistakes in the considerations of the project. We had underestimated the symbolic power of vaccinating a wealthy patient. Rupert was entitled to an immediate vaccination because of his severe heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. The consideration is more serious as the billionaire is a co-owner of the group, and this inevitably gave the impression that we had treated him privileged, continues Liedtke”.

Hirslanden is part of the South African Mediclinic group

Switzerland has good state-funded healthcare with high-quality medical services and infrastructure. The situation presents significant challenges to a private hospital group, such as Hirslanden in Switzerland, having South African owners. People question Hirslanden’s efforts to cooperate with the state to serve the needs of the whole community during the pandemic. We read the following in the newspapers:

“What drives the highly profitable and efficient hospital group to work together with inefficient and insufficiently financed public hospitals? Is there a pure pursuit of profit behind it? Do the unpopular South Africans want to make themselves indispensable or do they want to create goodwill and take the wind out of the critics’ sails? Probably all together.

The countries in which Mediclinic operates

Hirslanden plays a critical role in supporting Covid-19 mass testing, which is now free for everyone in Switzerland, regardless of symptoms. According to the government, this is a significant step in managing the pandemic. Feel free to read more about this on the Hirslanden blog, where there is a photo of Charl. Several vaccination centres have also been allocated to Hirslanden to manage on behalf of the cantons.

Regards

Emsia

The Heart vs Mind battle of a mom

04/05/2021 emsia.kruger

The mother role is one that I wanted with all my heart. However, it confronted me like a mirror of my weaknesses. From the moment dependent little fingers wrap around yours, a mother’s heart and mind are in conflict. The feeling and the knowing rarely agree. I suspect this is an eternal struggle.

With each birth, it feels as if an entire room full of fragile emotions is unlocked. The feeling that your heart is suddenly sitting outside your body and that you are also carrying your children’s experiences and feelings makes you very vulnerable. This feeling is the heart of a mom. From the start, you understand the significant responsibility that accompanies the role. After all, God has entrusted them to you. You must help them prepare to live out their purpose in the world. This understanding is the mind of a mom.

A baby in his mother's arms immediately after birth

At first, you feel overwhelmed by all the emotion and responsibility. Your kids need you, and they make it clear. You need to plan carefully to meet everyone’s needs and requirements. Your biggest wish is for some time of your own. It changes faster than you can imagine. They let go, take care of themselves, and suddenly you have too much time on your own.

Your mind confirms it is good that they become independent, take responsibility, and learn to stand on their own feet. However, your heart wishes in selfishness that you are still needed. As a mother, it takes a lot of wisdom and emotional maturity to let go in the right way and at the right time.

Letting go – adolescence

There are three significant milestones when a mother must let go of her children. The first time is when they become adolescents. The hormones kick in, and they need privacy. They start closing doors, and deodorant smells hang in the house if you are lucky. They spend a lot of time behind closed doors and prefer their friends’ company and activities over yours. I can still hear Christo with his regular, “Privacy Mom!”

Letting go – leaving the nest

The second time a mom must let go is when her children leave the nest. It is a significant loss, but a mom gains more peace and tranquillity in the home. The conflict between their will and respect for the rest of the family intensifies towards the end. They need to prove to themselves that they are able. Consequently, they discover and try new things and do more activities independently.

Sometimes they still need your problem-solving skills when a crisis gets out of hand. Their contact with you is on their terms. They do not necessarily want to listen to your advice or opinions, but your children always need a mother who listens with love and understanding.

Time passes, and one day you realise your child has turned into a friend. They have new ideas and informed opinions and start sharing wisdom. You have more time for yourself and your passions and interests. If you are lucky, some of these passions and interests are shared, and you and your child discover together and exchange experiences and information.

Letting go – life partner

The third time you need to let them go is when they choose a life partner. The choice of a partner is theirs, but their choice of person has a significant impact on the relationship between you and your child going forward. If things work out positively, their choice causes you to become richer in relationships.

Maybe you are blessed with grandchildren. Your cup of happiness overflows, but the whole conflict between a grandmother’s heart and mind starts over again. You think with gratitude, “Now they will finally understand how much I love them!”

Regards

Emsia

Photography as teacher of the art of observation

19/04/2021 emsia.kruger

Throughout my life, I constantly had something to do. However, I can now focus on activities I want to rather than must do. I always believed that initiatives should have an outcome, serve a purpose, or benefit something or someone else. For the very first time, I do things just because I enjoy it. I am learning to see it differently!

Taking pictures has always been an activity I have enjoyed, and it has a purpose. Now I have discovered photography. Photography is the word I use when I take pictures just for fun. I even participated in an online photo challenge competition (GuruShots) and learned a lot when my photos had to meet specific criteria. I got a lot of ideas and inspiration from other photographers. Photography also became a teacher of many valuable life lessons.

Focus

In one challenge, we had to experiment with the focus. If you focus on one part of a picture, the other parts of the image become out of focus and fade. After the first summer rains, the wildflowers grew lushly around us. It was hard to decide where I wanted to focus because there were so many beautiful parts to choose from. It is sometimes difficult to choose, but we must focus on what we want to stand out and accept the rest is part of the background.

Colour

Many of the challenges are about colour. Colours like orange, red and yellow are great because there are many options with brightly coloured items. The black and brown challenges were challenging because these are not the type of colours I usually put focus on. When the topic was brown, I looked at items like wood, leather, chocolate, and soil. The marks and stains of wood that have arisen over the years created the contrast in colour and made the item and the photo something special.

Shadows

I was surprised by the challenge that focussed on shadows. I usually try to take my pictures during times of the day when the light is soft, there are clouds in the sky, and there are no shadows. The concept of shadows can have a positive or a negative meaning. Shadows play a significant role in photos. It can draw attention to or hide something. It contributes to the drama, emotion, or mystery of the picture.

Places

A photo challenge that excited me was the one about My Country. South Africa is such a diverse country with the most beautiful scenery and people. The hardest part was choosing just one photo! It was lovely to look at the other photographers’ entries. It was like a world tour because everyone could choose only one picture that captured their country.

People

The challenge about generations made me nostalgic. Pictures of our people are precious to us because each one tells something about the person, the moment, or the situation. An exceptional photo makes us see and feel love, emotion, or humour. Excellence lies in the ability to spot those moments and have the skill to capture them. It teaches me to look deeper.

I read the following quote about photography that resonated with me:

“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place… I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”
— Elliott Erwitt

Kind regards

Emsia

The smell of spring in Switzerland

14/04/2021 emsia.kruger

Nature is changing fast. It is our second spring in Switzerland. However, it feels like a first. Last year, our minds were so preoccupied with Covid and adapting to all the new rules that we did not fully appreciate nature’s awakening and change.

Of all things, I most enjoy the positive energy I can hear, see, and feel. I believe the people in countries with intense winters have a much greater appreciation for spring and the sun. They enjoy sitting on benches everywhere in nature with their eyes closed and faces turned to the sun. There is reverence in the silence with which they do so.

Benefits of snow

Once the snow melts, the world is green. The snow acts as an insulator and helps to retain moisture in the soil during the winter. It systematically releases water into the earth as it melts in the spring. Without the protection of snow, cold temperatures freeze the ground and damage the root systems of shrubs and trees. It also contains valuable nutrients such as nitrogen. I read that after a harsh winter, the roses bloom better, and fruit trees bear more fruit. Some bulbs, such as daffodils and tulips, need the snow and cool-down period to bloom.

Frick – The smell of cherry blossoms

We took advantage of our first sunny weather and went for a cherry blossom walk at Frick, a famous cherry region in Switzerland. The smell of blossoms hung in the air. The pink and white trees against the green background with speckles of yellow wildflowers created a picture to remember. In Japan, cherry blossoms have symbolic significance in terms of renewal and the fleeting nature of life. By the end of June, the various cherries, with shades ranging from light red to black, ripen, and people celebrate the season with cherry festivals.

Easter – the smell of chocolates and roses

In South Africa, we are used to celebrating Easter during autumn.
Easter in the Northern Hemisphere during spring has a very different atmosphere. There is a much greater emphasis on awakening and new life. The people hang Easter egg decorations on their trees among the blossoms, emphasizing this concept.

I am fascinated by the large variety of chocolate Easter bunnies available before Easter. We visited the Lindt factory shop a week before Easter and had to wait our turn in a queue in front of the shop. Easter bunnies make excellent corporate gifts, and Zander was happy about the cute Easter bunnies that arrived at our house unexpectedly.

I was impressed with the Reformed churches in Zurich’s Easter creativity. With Covid limitations, they had to think of other ways to convey their message. They decorated seven fountains with roses. The fountains were a symbol of new life. The roses were a sign of the joy that brings colour into the darkness of the present situation. It made an impression and attracted many visitors.

Animal life

In nature, it is also visible that animal life is getting ready for a new season. The red kite birds circle over the freshly ploughed fields looking for something to eat. The squirrels run up and down the trees while the birds sit merrily in the branches and sing. I came across two young deer in the forest, and we were equally surprised to see each other. We were excited when we saw a swan on her eggs at the lake.

The swans on the lake are something we have only seen in children’s storybooks before.

Kind regards

Emsia

Cooking with love inspired by my son

06/04/2021 emsia.kruger

Years ago, our Italian colleague remarked during lunch, “I can taste they have not prepared the food with love.” At that point, any food prepared by someone else was delicious, even canteen food. I needed time to comprehend his remark.

I had limited cooking time with a career, household and three children to drive around. With a vegetarian husband and carnivorous sons, cooking was in my “get-it-done” category. I suspect not much love ended up in my one-pot dishes.

When my sons left the nest, their cooking skills were limited to fried eggs, flapjacks, and barbecuing. Jacques values healthy living, and with a limited budget, he had to depend on his cooking skills after school. Soon we were impressed with his creativity in the kitchen.

Jacques’ business – The Cinnamon Club

Jacques Kruger's words about his business, The Cinnamon Club

Jacques was part of the Kruger household for a long time during the Covid confinement. He offered to take responsibility for the household’s main meal, which he had to finish by a specific time in the evening. He was obligated to consider all the relevant food allergies and harness his creativity. In the process, he discovered that a vegan lifestyle overcomes most food allergies.

After completing his business degree, Jacques decided to focus on his love and passion for cooking and baking with plant-based products. He likes to experiment with various herbs and spices. He used to add a bit of cinnamon to all his creations, and this habit inspired his business name, The Cinnamon Club. Please look at his beautifully presented vegan and gluten-free cakes on his web page – The Cinnamon Club.

My cooking inspiration

Jacques, meanwhile, inspired me to be more creative with cooking. Every week I try a recipe from another country with all the right ingredients, herbs and spices. I make a point of identifying the country the different items originate. With the peeling and preparation of the dishes, I appreciate the uniqueness and perfection of the fresh produce.

We live between the farms and can buy farm-fresh produce. We get fresh milk at the dairy near our house. In spring and summer, they also make strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and other types of fruit available in the fridge next to the road. Contrary to what we are used to, farm products here are slightly more expensive than in the shops because they are fresh from the farm.

Baking bread

It is easy to seduce Charl with bread, and he likes to bake it himself. When our German language skills have improved, we would like to participate in a bread-baking course. Charl still has a dream of owning a bakery in the future. In the meantime, I spoil him with the large selection of bread available at the local bakery.

The German-speaking countries are known for their fermented products. One of Charl’s colleagues, Stefanie, spoiled us with bottles of pickled vegetables and pickled red onions. She grows her herbs with which she pickles them. The fragrances are heavenly and an excellent gift made with love. Stefanie promised to send me some of her pickled pumpkins with vanilla in the fall. I am very much looking forward to seeing and tasting it.

I have come a long way in the kitchen with inspiration from various places. However, I now understand what Gaetano meant by “One can taste when someone prepared food with love.”

Regards

Emsia

The various colours of truth

29/03/2021 emsia.kruger

Colour is powerful. It has an impact on our moods and emotions and inspires our decision-making. Our frame of reference determines whether a specific colour has a positive or a negative association. Colour also leaves us with question marks when we see something that looks different than expected.

Orange sky in Switzerland

During February, we noticed how the sky here in Switzerland changed from the usual white, blue and grey into the most beautiful orange. The phenomenon kept us guessing and reminded me of the orange desert sunsets in the Kalahari. The newspaper confirmed that sand is also the reason for the orange sky. Desert sand blows from the northern parts of Africa, such as Mauritania, Mali, and Algeria, to Europe. The sand acts as a lens, changing the colour of the sky.

In science, we learn that a prism lens can refract white light in different colours. Truth, just like light, can also be refracted into different colours. My colour of truth, positive or negative, depends on my lens – my perspective.

Easter weekend message about Colours of Truth

One Easter weekend years ago, I received a needed message about colours of truth. Alone and in the middle of a divorce, I went to church. The theme of the sermon was Colours of Truth. The pastor explained how the first four books of the New Testament of the Bible are all about Jesus’ life. He highlighted the different perspectives and focuses of each of the four books and attributed them to the four authors’ views. I walked away that morning, understanding that my lens determines the colour of my truth. It was a valuable lesson.

Perspectives on South African history

Our teenager, shaping his perspectives, recently reminded me of the colours of truth. On 16 December last year, Zander asked why his friends in South Africa celebrate a public holiday. I explained that during the Battle of Blood River, the Voortrekkers made a vow to God that if He gave them victory over the Zulu forces of Dingaan, they would commemorate the day as an annual day of vows. After the 1994 election, this public holiday was renamed the Day of Reconciliation to consider all perspectives.

Recently, Zander had to do a biographical oral about an important person in history. He chose the life of Nelson Mandela. In preparation, Zander read a book providing a good summary of South African history. Emotionally, he shared with me his perspective on the Battle of Blood River.

“The Boers moved through the land of the Zulus and wanted to take some of the Zulus as slaves. This situation caused the conflict. The Zulus tried to defend themselves and had only spears as weapons. The Boers had guns and could hide behind their ox carts. Many Zulus and only a few Boers died that day. It is very unfair and sad. Why do we celebrate this day of vows? Surely the Zulus must have prayed too?”

Zander had a different perspective from the one I learned in school during Apartheid.

My colour of truth, positive or negative, depends on the lens through which I look. My colour of truth has an impact on my mood and my emotions. It inspires my decision-making. Colour is powerful. Situations often remind me of how important it is for me to revisit my lenses before judging or acting.

Kind regards

Emsia

Flowers for my mom at Keukenhof

22/03/2021 emsia.kruger

My image of my mom is a large bed full of brightly coloured flowers. Her lovely garden is her playground but also her hiding place. She shows her love with flowers. As a schoolgirl, she spoiled me on my birthday with roses from her garden. There is always a bunch of flowers in our rooms when we visit. I was very excited when the opportunity arose five years ago to show my mother the most beautiful spring garden in the world, Keukenhof.

Excitement and distress

I could not wait to share the news with her. Her excitement was as great as her distress. At age 71, she had never been overseas. Glimpses of Keukenhof on television were sufficient motivation for her to apply for a passport. She also bought a warm jacket and knitted a blue beanie.
My mother and I flew via Dubai and met Charl in Amsterdam. We enjoyed the different meals and wide selection of music and movies on the plane. She surrendered to the experience and ran when necessary to catch the connecting flight.

Our stay in Leiden was perfect

Our stay in Leiden was perfect. The bed-and-breakfast lady was a retired psychologist about my mother’s age. Because Dutch and Afrikaans are so close, we communicated and understood each other in our languages. Our hostess spoiled us with various Dutch delicacies. Every morning there was another homemade surprise, fresh from the oven, for breakfast. The language and culture of the Dutch programs on television amused us.

Amsterdam, Zaanse Schans and Delft factory

We planned our Keukenhof visit for later in the week. Meanwhile, we explored Amsterdam on foot and admired the people, thousands of bicycles, and historic buildings. When our legs became tired, we viewed the city from one of the boats on the canals. We visited the Zaanse Schans and saw windmills, craft shops and museums. At the Delft factory, they made the most beautiful hand-painted blue Delft crockery.

Tulip fields

The day before our Keukenhof excursion, we drove around between the tulip farms and admired the rows of colour. Sometimes we got out of the car to take a closer look and experience the wonderful smell of the masses of flowers. The image of the flower fields was my picture of heaven. We were amazed at the golden yellow Daffodils that emerged like wildflowers everywhere.

Keukenhof

Keukenhof was more than I expected. It was satisfactory to see the amazement in my mom’s eyes, and it was precious to experience her joyfulness. We were amazed by the many exhibits, colourful tulip varieties and other flowers. When Charl later noticed that we had walked more than 10km, my mom remarked in surprise, Hey, I did not even know I could walk that far!

This year we were hoping to visit Keukenhof for a second time. Keukenhof receives more than a million visitors a year. Keukenhof was ready to open on 20 March 2021 and started selling tickets online. However, the government informed them that the current Covid conditions did not yet allow them to open, even though their gardens are ready. Covid numbers in Europe are rising again, indicating the third wave. Fortunately, Keukenhof displayed their gardens virtually on social media. I, therefore, start every day with a quick visit to Keukenhof!

I wish I could surprise my mother with an unexpected visit and flowers. However, I am now limited to the tulip photos I send her via WhatsApp. Fortunately, I know from experience that out of the blue-opportunities do sometimes arise.

Kind regards

Emsia