Texel Island, NL, 2024: Renovations (cont'd)

As they say, the third time is a charm, right?  So, yes, this was our last visit to the Texel bungalow for a minor renovation, again, like in March, without Jaap.  And this time it was a shorter stay, Monday to Thursday (May 6-9), for Astrid and me.

First of all, before even arriving on Texel island, we saw several tulip fields in various stages of bloom, giving us hope that we'd see some up close once at Texel:

[all photos are drive-by captures]

Also, this is the first time I caught 3 of the 5 floating/raft bridges on the North Holland Canal,

of which this is one, while passing by.  There are approx. 20 such bridges

in the world and the Netherlands has 5 of them!

In that same area, along the North Holland Canal, are these fabulous thatched houses.

They make the drive one of my favorites of all in this delightful country.

Once at the bungalow, this was the renovation:

Installing a corner cabinet in the kitchen to better utilize the much-needed space!

A father-son team on Texel did the custom-made honors (which we ordered in March).

You can see the before and after on the bottom row above.

[photo and collage credit:  Astrid]

The main goal was to get cups and glassware off of living-room shelves 

and provide empty space in the cabinets for Jaap to fill as he wants.

YAY.  Mission accomplished!

That happened on Tuesday morning, the day after we arrived.  The rest of the time was all play!

On Monday and Tuesday, as an unexpected plus, Jeroen and Hailey were able to stay over from their weekend with Marissa and Sem, while said M & S returned home for Sem's school.  [It's a crazy Dutch system when schools in a district have different vacation times, meaning that if you have kids in 2 different schools, they can have different dates for vacation!!!]

Thus, we had quality time with Jeroen and Hailey, fully utilized, as you see below.  The photos speak louder than a thousand words!

Fabulous walks are within walking distance from the bungalow.

And eating out on the beach at Paal 17 is always a must.

When you wait for food, you play games, of course,

for which Jeroen always comes prepared.

[photo and collage credit:  Astrid]

Hailey's menu choice is almost always a Dutch pannenkoek!

[photo and collage credit:  Astrid]

Hailey is a certified dare-devil, unafraid of just about anything.

She wants to do it herself, and Papa lets her, because she calculates her chances.

If she thinks she can't do it, she doesn't try.

[video credit:  Astrid]

[photo and collage credit:  Astrid]

[photo and collage credit:  Astrid]

I have never seen a father more hands-on than Jeroen.

Or an oma more hands-on than Astrid!

[photo and collage credit:  Astrid]

I'm usually watching and praising...and sometimes "contributing."

[Emulating my Mom's field-hockey prowess from Smith/Columbia days back in the late 1930s.  HA!]

Once Jeroen and Hailey left on Tuesday afternoon, Astrid and I enjoyed "us" time.

The tulip fields on Texel were still in bloom, as we had hoped,

so we went to see them up close and personal.

And, yes, we enjoyed our daily latte macchiatos and 2 more meals out!

So, 3 times at Texel already in 2024!  We have no idea when we'll be back but, for now, our thoughts are 100% on our upcoming 3-week drive to Brittany, France, from May 26-June 14, similar to our 3-week Denmark trip at this time last year.

As brother Nelson would say, onwards and upwards! 

Texel Island, NL, 2024: Renovations

 

To be honest, I thought I had already posted about our January trip to start some renovations in Jaap's bungalow, as a gift from Astrid's deceased brother, Sander.  

But no, I didn't.  So this is the gist:

After years of surviving on a dorm-sized fridge, we all agreed it was time for something larger

that would still fit in the space.  Astrid did the prep, while Jaap "supervised."

The same thing for a new stand-alone freezer, which needed a cabinet to protect it.

We were gone when the appliances arrived, but the photos from Jaap 

proved that all Astrid's hard work paid off!

So, that was why we were there in January.

Segue now to early March when Astrid and I returned but without Jaap.  Astrid didn't like the back of the freezer cabinet because it wasn't adequately stabilized.  So here at home she prepared a new back which she was able to install this trip.

And, yes, it did the trick!

And with that done, we spent the rest of our time (6 days total) traipsing all over the island, "practicing" with our new "Sanders" (iPhone 15 Pro Maxes).  

All the photos following, from this March trip, are with my iPhone 15 Pro Max:

Let's start with eating out!

A café in Oudeschild.

Outside that café in living color.

A café in Oosterend and, yup...I'm still on that penchant for the NOIR option.

The same café in Oosterend in living color outside, of course.

Before and after eating, as you'd guess, we were taking photos everywhere, whether at the beach (North Sea) or in the vicinity:

Again, always "practicing" with the new iPhone 15 Pro Max.

And, yes, we even visited a couple of wee churches:

This one is the Reformed Church in De Waal.

And of course, a windmill:

This one is Het Noorden near Oosterend (yes, near that café).

But the crowning success of the Texel trip this time, hands down, was my first visit to the The Slufter salt marsh, nature area.  OMG.  Where have I been all my life!

From L to R:  The Netherlands, then Texel island, zooming in to where The Slufter is.

Using the pano option, we're looking out to the sea from the inland entrance to the salt marsh.

It totally made my day, the trip, and my new "Sander."

Enough for now to say we're both totally thrilled with our new iPhones and wonder how often we'll use our Canon PowerShot cameras going forward.  Will we always want to carry BOTH cameras with us, for the rare times the Canon might actually get a better zoomed-in shot??  I guess time will tell....

Clarification:  all non-collage images have been tweaked in PhotoShop,

which means they are not SOOC (straight out of camera).

A Working Vacation on Texel Island, NL

 

You may remember that, back in May, Astrid and I spent time with her family (including Jaap, her ex) at their bungalow on Texel Island, the first time we had been there since we went alone in 2011.

It so happens that Jaap needed to do yard maintenance before the coming winter months and asked if Astrid would be willing to help him (just like she had always done when they were married).  Needless to say, he didn't have to ask us twice!

So, we left on Thursday morning, September 28, and returned on the following Wednesday, October 4, yesterday.

It's a 2-hour drive from home to Den Helder, where we catch the ferry to Texel.

Once on the ferry (a 20-min. ride), the vacation has already started!

And believe it or not, before going to the bungalow, we stopped in De Koog

to exchange my sheepskin slippers (from May) to a smaller size and style...

and added our first ice cream of the vacation for good measure.

VACATION!

That afternoon we went for a walk in the nearby woods,

past the "Sander" bench (for another Sander) which we've claimed as our own,

in honor of Astrid's brother Alexander (Sander).

The next day, Friday, we drove to the Texel lighthouse at the northern tip of the island,

where we stopped first for a latte macchiato and a shared appeltaart.

VACATION!

Be calm my beating heart!

The next day, Saturday, we drove to Den Hoorn,

known for its quaint little church...

with its many faces...

which we visited after another morning latte macchiato break, of course.  

VACATION!

Because it was Saturday, several members were preparing the place for a special Sunday service,

apparently with 20 violinists present (which we missed, regrettably).

But see what I mean by quaint!

Jaap arrived that afternoon, after which we ate out in the bungalow park for our first main meal together,

following which we played Five Crowns...and every evening thereafter (except one).

Sunday was Jaap and Astrid's first working day on the yard...

continued the next day, Monday.  And because it rained off-n-on all day Tuesday,

it was easy to say that was enough.  Jaap would finish the rest on his own, after we left.

Remains of the day!

And because we could, each day we ate out, this time (Sunday) at the Paal 17 on the beach...

and this time (Monday) at my favorite Catharinahoeve pannekoeken restaurant in the woods...

after which Jaap stopped at his favorite honor stand to buy sand-dune potatoes for himself.

They have a very distinct taste, he says, that he really likes.

It was fun to watch Jaap and Astrid plan things out...

while I sat in my corner playing games, Sudoku, or knitting mutsjes for next Easter.

Our last full day, Tuesday, when it wasn't raining, Astrid and I took another walk.

Life on the island for kids is a whole other world!

But Astrid's and my world is still about photographing what we see.

Those tiny ants actually kept the maggot from falling off the log as they rounded the tree knot!

(Sorry that the main photo is not sharp but it started the series.)

All God's creatures great and small!

Our last evening meal together was at this delightful chicken restaurant in De Koog...

finished off by another ice cream at the same place where we were on Thursday.

VACATION!

As we left yesterday morning, Wednesday, with the morning sun favoring us all,

we said our fleeting good-byes to yet another Texel "experience" in one year.

Working or not, it's a... 

VACATION!

And on that note, we now prepare for our annual trip to Atlanta, 2 weeks from today.  Did I ever mention that this is the time of the year when I feel like I'm sliding down to the New Year?!