Snowy Netherlands

Index

Memory

Distances

Introduction To The Netherlands

Even More Snow

Related blogs on my website

Memory

It's 1984, January or february to be exact. I land by plane at Schiphol. I set foot in The Netherlands for the first time as a 7-year-old. My father (1945-2011) had been given a study assignment and I was going to live in The Netherlands from now on.

Distances

I knew little about The Netherlands. My parents booked a hotel in Hengelo. No idea of distances in The Netherlands compared to the island of Curaçao. Even years later, my father (1945 - 2011) has no sense of distance at all. He is staying in Amsterdam with my youngest sister and is here for work. In one day he wants to pick me up in Utrecht, go to Almere to visit family, to Eindhoven to friends and also to Heerhugowaard, where his sister lives. After negotiating I go to Eindhoven to visit friends with my father (1945-2011) and youngest sister. On the way back he still tries to cycle Almere into the program, but I drop out and get off in Utrecht.

Introduction To The Netherlands

Back to the story in 1984. I set foot outside Schiphol my boots sink deep into the snow. I'm impressed. My first encounter with The Netherlands is snow. I board the train to Hengelo. That ride seems to take hours. In reality it also takes hours, because Hengelo is just far :-). A few days later I move to family in Almere-Buiten. After a while we (my sisters, I and my parents) settle in Almere-Haven as a family. Close enough to Amsterdam where my father (1945-2011) needs to be for his studies and close to family.

Even More Snow

In Almere-Buiten there is even more snow. Now with sun, but that does not mean that the winter sun has the power of the sun on Curaçao. I soon find out when I run back inside to put on a coat, scarf and mittens. My Almere family has a lot of fun with me and the cold that I don't know anything about. Never again have I seen so much snow in my life until today Feb 7, 2021. It looks beautiful. I enjoy it from my home. I'll give it a go tomorrow.