Happy New Year

Happy New Year.    

We celebrated New Year in the Netherlands. Always a very noisy and colourful occasion, due to the extravagant firework displays, even in this year of great austerity.

   

But first I must back track to the days leading up to, and surrounding, New Year's Eve.   

We visited Utrecht, which is always a must, in order to have lunch, coffee and do some shopping.    

We included a visit to Bart Smit, the toy shop, which was a great success with the children.    They all had money to spend, and were very careful, I might add. 

And of course a visit to the Brandmeester coffee shop, was a must for the adults.   Perfect roasted coffee there.    And trained staff.    Coffee heaven!

The five cousins spent time perfecting their dance routines, using the XBox Kinnect.

I took the children swimming at the local pool, where the water was warm and relaxing, and plenty to do with all the floating toys.    

We visited one of the forts, which were once part of a line of defence in this part of the Netherlands.    The idea was to flood the surrounding ground, just enough to prevent the enemy coming in by boat, and too deep for horses and wagons.   But of course they became obsolete once aeroplanes arrived.

This particular fort is called Geo Fort, and has only been open for tourists since June 2012.  The fort focuses on mapping, geographical features, and land use and settlement, and there were plenty of activities for children along these lines.  

Interesting urinals!    Actually I think they are basins for washing.   Are they?

This is definitely an old style toilet.

The wooden maze, which included rooms containing geographical information.  The idea was to collect clues to make up a four digit key, so that you could get out of the maze.  We cheated somewhat, and someone let us out.  But losing your way in there was extremely easy.   Is that Aaron in a red coat in the distance?   The children cheated by sliding under the fences.

This tunnel was alternatively pitch dark, and then lit up with laser lights.    The children were not keen.

And then off to the adventure playground.    This swing needed good co-operation to get it moving in one direction.    And they managed it too.

This was not an easy slope to scale down, especially with slippery mud underfoot.    Much practising and coaching from Kylie was needed.

On the last day, we visited the Speel Bos, an adventure playground, not far from Aaron and Kylie's house.   As well as wooden climbing frames, there is also an obstacle course which is placed above a canal (if you fall off you get very wet), and an area where children can build houses and dams, and generally play in the water and mud.

We were there for an hour and a half, and in that time they all managed to get water in their Wellington boots, and two of them slipped over in the mud.  But they had a great time.  Oh to be a child again.

We celebrated New Year by playing Uno in the evening, and then spent an hour outside watching the fireworks.    So very exciting for the children, and for the adults too.    

And I must not forget the Oliebollen, which literally means, for the uninitiated, 'oil balls'.    They are a yeast dough mixture with currants and mixed peel, made into balls and deep fried in fat.  Then dusted with icing sugar. Very popular in the Netherlands at New Year.   Aaron collected ours from the wagon in the Rond, hot and delicious.   But a word of warning, only one or two can be eaten, because they fill the stomach.   Anymore, and one could be in trouble.

Happy New Year.