Be back to the Camino later...but for now...NETHERLANDS

LOTS to write but for now a quick post with pictures of the three little angels I'll be watching for the next 10 (or so) months

The oldest Cleo, she's is 5


Pippou (said kinda like Pepper) is 3


Pookie (no idea on spelling here people) is 3 as well

So yeah those are my precious little angels :)

Windmills and Babies

For my first au-pair family Dutch culture funness we went on a trip to the Zaanse Schans (basically a city with a collection of well preserved historic windmills and houses).

In true Dutch style it was raining
One of the first things we looked at was the Schipperplein. This basically means its a square that is surrounded by lots of warehouses that used to be used for storing exciting things like grains! They were traditionally built of wood (convenient) and tarred to protect from mildew and other gross stuff (practical)



Next up was a loooooooot of polder (which I now know is what we call, "reclaimed land"). The water around it is regulated by windmills (practial AND pretty)
About the windmills. There are more than 1,000 windmills in the Zaanarea! All of the windmills on the kalverringdijk are still in use. The next one is a mustard mill!





This place also has the first Albert Hein! (think like Vons)







Ending with a stop in the cheese shop as a lady explained (to a Russian tour group...in Russian) how cheese in made! (the tour group took more pictures of the twins than the cheese)

On our way home we stopped by a friend of Kristel's. Her friend had just had a baby boy. The Dutch tradition is that friends and family come over and congratulate you (fawn over the baby and give presents) and the mom gives guests "little mice" which is anis flavored sprinkles put on biscuits. Anis helps women recover after childbirth so by joining the guests in eating she's also helping herself. Nifty system!

Almost at my new home

Maarssen.jpg - Gmail