Views of green grass, blue sea, and sand as far as the eye can see.
Gathering around the table at the home of good friends.
Biking to the Amsterdamse Bos, eating ice cream—even if it’s still too cold for that.
Stretching out your legs in a mobile home with orange flags.
The coronation that is an inauguration.
The Flea Market in Haarlem.
Impressive scenes from Amsterdam.
Having lunch and dinner at trendy-looking beach bars with poor service.
Being shocked by the prices.
Enjoying the sun on the patio.
Our daughter smashing an ashtray. With one hand. In one go.
Our best friends dropping by, even when they’re actually too busy to do so.
Wine.
French fries.
Being happy when the sea breeze finally blows warmer and less sharply around our ears.
Our daughter’s first steps in the sand.
Our son running barefoot back and forth to fetch water.
Watching Boeing planes among the plane spotters and the tulip fields.
The plane taking us to see that other dear Dutch friend in England.
Three days in England with temperatures above 20 degrees.
Breakfast with bacon.
Going for a walk.
Swinging in the garden.
Chatting politely.
Having a picnic in the park.
Splashing around among the fountains in the city center.
Fly back home.
A day trip to Drenthe.
Shopping.
Skirt Day.
Summer tires at last.
Harlingen.
Fluffy clouds like paintings.
Day-trippers. Ascension Day travelers. Family weekend.
The boat to Vlieland.
Islanders for a little while.
On a cargo bike.
To the pub.
Lunch.
Wine.
Appetizers.
More wine.
And lots and lots of family members.
Lots of fun family members.
So cozy and relaxed—it’s almost too good to be true.
So now it’s taking a little while to get used to being back in Berlin after a vacation like that.
We really got away from it all. But we’re also truly back home again. I have to search for the German words again. I’m still staring blankly at the Fernsehturm. I haven’t even touched the stack of Berliner Zeitungen yet. And I’ve barely kept up with the news here. A trip to the newsroom still feels a bit like someone else is behind the wheel.
The trip back was long—do we really live that far away?
The Netherlands is in us, in me.
But luckily, the Berlin summer is beginning.
28 degrees today.
In the Netherlands? 12.
Those used to be the days when I wanted nothing more than to soak up the Berlin summer atmosphere.
Those moments are priceless.
Now I’m right there.
And so it’s not hard to adjust.
Actually, we’re still on vacation.
And we’re going to enjoy it.
