The Kennedy Mars

  
     It is sometimes surprising, when traveling, to discover that your president has made a deep impression on people in a way you never suspected.  President Kennedy, for instance, is still very much alive in Europe.  You see his name on street signs and memorials, and everyone knows about his famous speech in West Berlin.  What surprised me was the 50-mile hike named in his honor, which is held yearly in two regions of Holland: in April around the city of Sittard, and in July around the city of Someren. I was fortunate to cheer on some of the Someren walkers.
     Some history: the Kennedy White House (inspired by Teddy Roosevelt) challenged the Marines to finish a 50-mile march within 20 hours as proof of their fitness, and the challenge was then extended to his administration.  The president's brother, Robert, took the challenge and completed the march wearing oxford dress shoes.  American citizens took up the challenge, the idea spread to the U.K. and eventually as far as the south of Holland.  When a small group of students in Holland completed the hike during their Easter holidays in 1963, they agreed to make it a yearly tradition.  And it grew from there.
     Now, take a fitness marathon that in America would be treated very seriously (think moisture-wicking athletic gear, sports shoes, sports drinks, glucose tabs, etc.)  Now put it into the hands of the Dutch, and it becomes... a PARTY!  Of course, it's taken seriously, it's well-organized (as is anything in Holland), and safety is always foremost.
     But it's still a party!  The walk starts at 10 p.m. with ceremonies honoring the U.S. and Netherlands friendship, and the walkers are sent on their way with cheering and lively music.  Every village makes it a point to be awake and in party mode when the walkers come through, even in the wee hours of the morning.  They play loud music, clap and cheer as the walkers come through, and offer them refreshments and encouragement.  

While hiking boots and athletic shoes were very much in view, there was also this guy:

     And this guy, (below) who, incidentally, finished the entire walk in clogs:

A local band, called Tiswa (meaning, "It's always something") really rocked the party as walkers made their way through the village main street.

     Of the 2224 people who started the walk, 74.7% finished within the 20 hour limit.

     This month is exam time for students in the Netherlands.  I asked about a strange custom I noticed around town, and my friends explained to me.  When a student finishes his exams and does well on them, he hangs his backpack outside his window.  This student included the Netherlands flag and his vuvuzale. Hup Holland Hup!

It's Hot in Holland!

     The temperature on July 2 in southern Holland topped out at about 97 degrees F.  This is the highest temperature they've had in 50 years, I'm told.  An area of grassland not far from Eindhoven caught fire from the extreme heat.  From what I hear, there are over a hundred acres involved so far.
     We saw helicopters flying by with large buckets of water to douse the fire.  Large plumes of smoke were visible for miles, and the highway was closed to keep people out of the smoke.  Fire engines poured into town, and I'm sure firemen from all over the area will be deployed to fight the fire.

A plume of smoke was visible for miles over the burning grassland.

Helicopters carried buckets of water to fight the blaze.

     On a brighter note, Holland won a very exciting game against Brazil.  Fans in orange were celebrating everywhere we went:

     

     We discovered, in the town of Veldhoven, a fantastic garden center, Oogenlust,  that was having a summer open house this weekend.  This place is over-the-top gorgeous, and we walked through several displays of the most creative arrangements I've ever seen.  The photos speak for themselves.  They also had several varieties of roses for sale, at great prices--about 8 to 10 euros for very healthy plants. They have a web site in both English and Dutch.  Check them out here:Oogenlust.

A luxurious seat by the rose-filled pool.

A collection of potted roses "The Faun" displayed in an urn.

Pear trees grow like large bonsai in boxes at the entrance to Oogenlust.

These chairs look like white leather, but they're actually air-filled vinyl.  The brand is called "Blofield."  If you're interested in seeing more of the shop, I have several more photos on my Flickr page:AynsleysPlace.

Blond Amsterdam

     

     Before I forget, I want to mention my trip to Blond Amsterdam yesterday.  I love cute girly stuff, and I have wanted to go to the Blond Amsterdam store for a long time.  It was only an hour till closing time when we finally got on the road from Haarlem to Amsterdam.  Everyone told us the trip would only take 15 minutes.  Unfortunately, we were traveling in rush hour.  After a harrowing drive, dodging lorries and bicyclists, and taking several wrong turns in Amsterdam thanks to the GPS and several areas of road construction, we arrived at the shop one minute before closing time.  My daughter's friend jumped out of the car with me and we ran for the door!

     I fully expected to be rudely informed that the store was closed and that I would have to leave.  I'm sorry to say, my past experiences have led me to expect indifference, if not rudeness, from shopkeepers--even in this economy. 

     But not this time!  The young woman working in the store smiled and said very kindly, "We are about to close, but take your time and find what you like.  I am in no hurry."  When we brought our items to the counter to check out, she gladly gift-wrapped several packages for us in their adorable pink wrapping paper.  She also told us that we can shop on their web site from home and they will ship to the U.S.  If you haven't seen their products, check out their web site.  There is something there for every girl and woman in your life.

     So, thank you Hadassah, for being kind to the two tourists who ran into your shop at the last minute.  You made us feel like royalty, and we have written to make sure your employers know that.  Thank you!

     Pretty in pink: some of the goodies I found at Blond Amsterdam.  The pink book is actually a moleskine notebook that I covered with their cute wrapping paper!