Good Bye Holland!

So… now, it is bye bye time.

Saying bye to near and dear ones is never easy…

Shifting one’s home can be tremendously pain staking, loaded with the stress of packing things right and holding emotions tight.

I start writing this post from New Delhi Airport Lounge where we wait to board the flight.

The last few weeks have been very busy, not able to communicate with friends through dosaikal and telephone too. So busy that recording emotions and memories of holland in words also did not work out well.

Navratri passed by – no recipes on sundals!
Many special occasions to share and many more new trials on cooking went on and on but no recipes added!
A special post on Wassenaar- the elite city that we live(d) in for more than three years was planned – could not materialize..

Now, I sit in the Airport in India,  with the feel of really having shifted, presently homeless, yet to settle in a new place, might be after a month’s break!

Holland has been a wonderful country to live in!

A wonderful country why? A few of them –

a. The beautiful dutch houses;

b. A definite distinction between footpath, cycle path and the motor path that makes commutation so systematic;

c.  When one walks on the foot path of the city, whoever comes across, known or unknown would wish a good morgan (good morning) with a friendly smile;

d. Be it the super market or any shop, anyone would start with Dutch, the language of the country, but…. when one mentions that he or she does not know the language, the person would immediately shift to English;

e. Most of them who immediately shift to English would be well versed in many of the European languages;

f. If the forecast says it is a sunny day, they immediately plan to enjoy in the beach or any nearest destination to spend with family and friends;

g. Different kinds of multi geared bicycles and the passion not only to ride it but take to their holiday destination too;

i. The different varieties of milk, cheese, yoghurt and various other milk products;

j. The Dutch Blue Pottery;

k. The exclusive flowers in different seasons;

l. Sinterklaas and tulips;

m. The windmills and wind and especially the sky ever ready to rain

We have been mesmerised by the Dutch Water Management Skill. They say

“God created Earth and the Dutch created Holland”.

Certainly, this phrase is true. The Dutch have reclaimed many of their cities and towns and they are the world leaders in Land Reclamation!

Today, approximately 27 percent of the Netherlands is actually below sea level. This area is home to over 60 percent of the country’s population of 15.8 million people. The Netherlands, which is approximately the size of the U.S. states Connecticut and Massachusetts combined, has an approximate average elevation of 11 meters (36 feet). The Netherlands ties Lemmefjord, Denmark for claim to the lowest point in Western Europe – Prince Alexander Polder lies at 23 feet (7 meters) below sea level. http://geography.about.com/od/specificplacesofinterest/a/dykes.htm

The Dutch and their struggle against the sea has made them the true conquerors of their Land from Sea! Actually, there needs to be a special post on the Delta Works and Afsluitdijk – both considered to be one of the seven wonders of the modern world. For more details see – http://www.unmuseum.org/7wonders/zunderzee.htm

The Afsluitdijk is a 32kilometer long dike, which connects the province of North Holland with the province of Friesland. It was constructed between 1927 and 1933 as a fundamental part in a larger plan called the Zuiderzee Works. With the completion of the Afsluitdijk the Zuiderzee (‘Southern Sea’) became the fresh water lake of IJsselmeer. http://www.holland.com/global/tourism/Article/afsluitdijk-10.htm

I shall not stop my Dutch Diary until I have shared my captivated memories on Holland!

So, here I am, ready for the relentless travel that is in front of me… Visiting family  and friends in the south of India, learning more authentic dishes from amma and aachi and not to mention the big and small list of shopping for the new place!

For now, it is bye bye Holland and bye bye friends… Thankyou for all those sweet memories and wonderful moments that made our life in this beautiful country a marvellous and an incredible journey to cherish.

Meet you all with my new post from India!