The Netherlands
Harlan and I are now in the Netherlands! We took a train from Muenster and arrived in Delft four hours later. We had to change trains a couple of times which is always a bit difficult with our huge amount of luggage! Usually Harlan and I just travel with small carry-on bags. For this long trip however we are also carrying two big suitcases, filled to the brim. At least ½ of one big suitcase is filled with Harlan’s work books and files of papers. There is not much room for our clothes and we had to pack for hot weather and cold weather and all the weather in between. Anyway, just imagine Harlan and I each pulling two suitcases behind us as we rush to our train. The hardest part is when we have to go up stairs!

We arrived in Delft and were met by Harlan’s friend Bastiaan who he will work with for the next two months. At one time, Bastiaan lived in Maine for a year and ½ and studied at the University of Maine with Harlan. So it was very nice to see him. He bought us to our new home.
Here is a photo of our trailer. We are living in a camp ground right outside of Delft. It is only a 15 minute walk into town. This camp ground has space for tents and camping trailers. It also has grass huts (really grass roofs) wooden cabins and then trailers like ours which they call a ‘chalet”. It is bigger than our last place. Here is our living room (we have a bedroom this time). See my computer on the table…this is where I sit to write this blog.


The next day Bastiaan and his family took us to see the big flower garden called Keukenhof. It was a beautiful sunny day but chilly. Bastiaan, Harlan and I took the train and bus to get there while his family took their car. There wasn’t room for Harlan and I in their car. Isn’t it nice that it is so easy to ride a train here?

Keukenhof is a big garden where the people who grow tulips can show off their flowers. It is surrounded by fields of tulips that are being grown for their bulbs.


Unfortunately, most of the fields didn’t have blooming tulips anymore, but in Keukenhof the tulips were still blooming in an amazing display of color! Here are some photos of the flowers and of Bastiaan, his wife Saskia and their three girls, Iris, Femka and Hanne.














We had a marvelous day wandering around the gardens and making sure the girls had some playground time!