Don't try this at home

It was a few weeks ago, when Coronavirus had replaced Brexit as the sole topic of conversation. We were in the middle of an initial 3 week period of lockdown imposed by the Government, when my thoughts  turned to things I could do to keep busy during my solitary confinement. The garden was tidier than it had ever been since we arrived in Saham Toney, I had repainted both the summerhouse and shed, and started an online German language course. So what else could I do….

The summerhouse

In a flash of inspiration I hit on an idea which would keep me busy and ease some of our worries about future food shortages. I would create a vegetable plot in the garden and become self sufficient in fresh veg. There was a section of lawn alongside one fence which I could dig up and create a 20ft by 6ft strip where I could grow courgettes, beans, peas, carrots, spring onions and lettuce. I was suddenly full of excitement about the whole project and went to discuss it with the PDG, who would surely share my enthusiasm.

Onions - I didn't grow these

“20ft by 6ft?” she said. “That’s far too much. 5ft by 4 ft would be much more suitable.”

I was incredulous.  5ft by 4ft would be way too small. One pumpkin plant would fill the entire space. It just wouldn’t be practical. We had a frank discussion and eventually a compromise was reached. I went out to start digging a 5ft by 4ft vegetable patch. I expected to be finished in a couple of hours, after all it was a very small area.

One thing I had overlooked was the quality of the piece of land I was digging up. The first time my spade went into the ground it hit something solid. Whenever I dug holes in my garden, I have wondered whether I might unearth some object from the past, a Victorian glass bottle, for instance, or a medieval weapon. Well you never know, do you? Now we are in Norfolk, I am mindful of the fact that King John’s lost treasure has never been found. Maybe this obstruction beneath my lawn was a treasure chest. It wasn’t.

After some poking and prodding I realised a large lump of hardcore was blocking my progress. With some effort I managed to dig it out. It must have weighed half a hundredweight. “That’ll cost me £3 to dispose of at the tip” I thought. But undeterred I got back to my digging. My intention was to dig to double the depth of my spade, shovel in some home-made compost, of which I have plenty, and then replace the soil, green side down.

The first lump of hardcore dug up

To my horror I discovered that the piece of rubble I had found was just the tip of the iceberg. The ground beneath my lawn was absolutely filled with hardcore, including builder’s rubble, tiles, bathroom fittings, bricks and all manner of rubbish dumped and then covered by a thin layer of turf. I know that builders have a reputation for such behaviour, but I thought this was excessive. By the time I had dug a trench 2 ft by 4 ft (less than half of the area to be dug) I had filled 10 sacks with rubble. There must have been more than a ton. Furthermore, about 9 inches below the surface, I came across an area of concrete which covered the bottom of the trench I had just dug. The concrete must have been 6 inches thick, and I guess was originally a pathway, or maybe hard standing for a shed or greenhouse.

2ft by 4ft hole with concrete base

I had a decision to make. Should I leave the concrete base where it is, and grow my veg  in the 9 inches or so between it and the top of the soil, or should I import a load of topsoil and make it a raised bed? Those were probably the best options. But no, I decided to take a third option, which was to dig out the concrete. After all, I wasn’t exactly pushed for time. The lockdown was expected to last for weeks, if not months.

10 bags of hardcore already

In carrying out this task It would have been nice to be in possession of a pick-axe or sledgehammer, which might have dealt with the job more efficiently. However I didn’t have either, and enquiries of my nearest neighbours proved unsuccessful. Also hire shops are closed during the lockdown. So I decided the job would have to be done with my club-hammer. It was back breaking work, armed with a small, but lethal hammer, whacking away at a lump of concrete below my feet. One false move and I could have shattered a leg.

My club hammer

Happily, I was careful, and after 4 strenuous days, I stood in my small trench, with soil beneath my feet, and all traces of concrete gone. All that now remained was to dig the remaining 3 feet, removing another 8 bags of hardcore whilst doing so. I now have eighteen sacks each carrying about 50 lb of hardcore, and it’s going to cost a pretty penny to dispose of when the local recycling centre opens again. Interestingly, when telling my brother-in-law about my strenuous efforts, he said he had an electric chisel which I could have borrowed, and it would have gone through the concrete like a knife through butter. This seems to happen to me quite a lot. I struggle with some task or other, then after the event somebody says ‘You should have asked me’. They never seem to be around when I start.

The vegetable patch is now finished

I did keep a couple of pieces of tile, with the idea of trying to convince visitors that they are of ancient Roman origin. Some people will believe anything.

Arnhem Part 3 - Driel

Sunday morning and another busy day awaited us on our tour of the Arnhem battlefield. Because we had so much to see today, Pat got us up and out for a 9.30 start, despite our protests. Today we were to take up the story of Arnhem from a Polish perspective. Although they arrived late in the battle, they nevertheless played a key part in evacuating British forces in the aftermath. We drove straight to the John Frost bridge, which we crossed, admiring the view of the Lower Rhine and beyond it the low-lying Polderland known as the Betuwe.

The view from John Frost Bridge

We were leaving Arnhem on the road to Nijmegen, but were soon to turn right towards the village of Driel. We were now on the south side of the river and driving to the headquarters of the Polish Para brigade during the battle. The original plan was for 1500 Polish paras to be dropped near Driel and then move to Arnhem bridge where they would link up with the British. However poor weather in England caused a 24 hour delay in this operation, and when they finally took off, they were recalled because of worsening conditions at British airfields. Unfortunately not all aircraft picked up this message, with the result that only two thirds of the Polish brigade actually arrived at Driel.

Polish Monument in Driel

There is a small museum at Driel with some useful information and exhibits regarding the Battle of Arnhem which we spent some time in, and we also saw a monument in honour of Major General Sosabowski, who led the Polish forces at Arnhem.  Sosabowski was unfairly blamed for the defeat at Arnhem, and was dismissed. However this monument was subsequently raised by British veterans, in thanks to Sosabowski and his men who fought valiantly alongside them at Arnhem.

Sosabowski Monument in Driel

As we headed back to Arnhem, we passed the site of the ferry across the river from Driel to Westbouwing on the North bank. This ferry was intended to be the route by which Polish troops were to link up with the British at the Bridge. Unfortunately the Germans were by now in control of Westbouwing and the ferry crossing was no longer available. Alternate means of crossing the river were attempted, but with limited success. A little further on, opposite the point where British troops were evacuated from Oosterbeek, is another fine monument, commemorating the evacuation of 2400 Airborne troops.

Evacuation Monument

Our tour now took us back across the river, this time using the Nelson Mandela bridge (not there at the time of the Battle!) to Oosterbeek. Here, once British troops had failed to hold the bridge, a defensive zone was created, with its perimeter defended, and retreating British forces headed for this zone, roughly an area of 3 miles around, with its base along the river. As we came off the bridge we found ourselves on Utrechtesweg, one of the three routes taken by the Airborne Division as they headed into Arnhem. As we drove along this road, we came across a house, called Beuken Hove. At this spot a very fierce battle occurred during which 11^th Para Battalion were virtually wiped out, with only 150 survivors. Ironically they were only a couple of hundred yards from the relative safety of the Oosterbeek perimeter defences.

Beuken Hove- marker post is just visible in front garden

The building now shows no scars from the fighting of 75 years ago. It seems to be a pleasant family home in a leafy street like any other, the only difference being that it has a post in its front garden commemorating the battle.

Commemorative post in garden

Our tour of the Oosterbeeke area continued with a visit to Hackett’s hollow, just outside the perimeter. From this point, Brigadier Hackett of the 4^th Para, found himself almost surrounded by enemy fire. The enemy probably expected him to surrender, but instead he led his men in a mad dash through enemy lines to the perimeter, only about 400 yards away. Remarkably, the hollow in which they had sheltered is still there today.

Hacketts Hollow 

From here we carried on to the site of the Hotel Dreyeroord. It was occupied by the Kings Own Scottish Borderers during the siege of Oosterbeek. Being unable to pronounce the Hotel’s name, they called it ‘The White House’. I understand that the original hotel building was demolished recently and a new one erected in its place. There is an explanatory plaque outside.

It was lunch time by now, and we headed for Westerbouwing, an elevated area commanding fine views of the Rhine and beyond. This was just outside the Oosterbeek perimeter, and unfortunately was captured by German troops. Unfortunate because this vantage point gave them a bird’s eye view of British attempts to evacuate across the river. There is a café up here where we stopped for some refreshment and admire the views. The café also carries a number of memorials and plaques to the memory of various members of the First Airborne Division.

View of the Lower Rhine from Westerbouwing

Whilst we were there, a young Dutchman approached us and wanted to talk about the Arnhem battle, and how much it meant to the Dutch people that so many British soldiers gave their lives  attempting to free them from Nazi occupation. This was a sentiment that I had noticed throughout the weekend. I could understand the British interest in the approaching 75^th Anniversary events, but I was a bit taken aback by enthusiasm of the Dutch. Houses everywhere in and around Arnhem were flying replica flags of the First Airborne Division, and we had already experienced their respect for British soldiers in the cemetery yesterday.

The rebuilt railway bridge near Arnhem - the original was destroyed by the Germans

We spent a pleasant hour or so at Westerbouwing, before moving on to Oosterbeek 0ld Church. Originally dating from the 10^th century, the Church became a focal point for the British evacuation from the Oosterbeek perimeter to the other side of the Rhine. Following the battle the church was left ruined, but was rebuilt after the war and is regularly visited by British and Polish veterans, although battle scars remain. 2400 men were successfully evacuated to Driel despite heavy bombardment from German forces on Westerbouwing.

The Old Church at Oosterbeek

Our final visit of the afternoon was to the Airborne Museum, formerly the Hartenstein Hotel, situated in the centre of the Oosterbeek perimeter, and the headquarters of the Airborne Divisional Commander, General Urquhart. First of all, however, we went across the road to a new exhibition in place for the forthcoming 75^th anniversary. It was about the glider landings which took place at the outset of the battle, and a full sized glider was on show. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but the glider seemed enormous to me. The only gliders I had seen before were small single or double seaters, flying over the Home Counties. This one was designed to carry heavy armour, vehicles and guns, or 25 men.

Glider - minus its wings

Hundreds of gliders were used at Arnhem, mostly towed by Dakota aircraft. When I looked at this one close up it was clear that they really were death traps. Made of thin plywood, they were designed as one-use only aircraft, as they were often irreparably damaged on landing. Fire was a great risk on board, causing them to be given the nickname ‘matchboxes’. On the landing sites around Arnhem, those that were not shot down by enemy fire, ran the risk of crashing into each other on landing. Unsurprisingly there were numerous casualties before the troops set off to capture the bridge.

No home comforts inside

We now moved back across the road to the superb Airborne Museum, which was packed with information and artefacts from the battle. I was particularly impressed with the basement area, which had been given over to a simulation of the battle of Arnhem, with gunfire, shouts and a general feeling of confusion. Nothing of course can compare with the real thing, but in a small way, this exhibition gave some indication of what it might have felt like.

Reconstruction in Museum

Our tour was now complete, and we all headed back to our Hotel for a final evening, in which I tried to use Pat’s encyclopaedic knowledge of Operation Market garden to fill gaps in my own understanding of what happened. It is always possible to view Military failures with the benefit of hindsight, but this had been a bold attempt to shorten the war, which wouldn’t have needed much tweaking to succeed. I shall leave the final word to a high-ranking German officer, who was heard to say to a Dutchman ‘The worst thing we did was to win the battle of Arnhem’. By doing so, they prolonged the war, enabling the Russians to reach Berlin first, initiating the Cold war and all that followed.

Airborne monument in Oosterbeek

After a convivial evening at the Hotel and a good night's sleep we headed off in the morning to catch our ferry back to Harwich, and thence home. Pat does offer an optional Monday tour to Nijmegen, where one can see the Canadian Cemetery and visit the superb Liberation Museum, but we thought we would save this for another day. Before we left we gave a huge thank you to Pat and Pam for making this weekend unforgettable. We had never done anything like it before, and I was interested when Pat said he was considering a tour of the Normandy beaches in future. So watch this space.

Arnhem Part 2 - Oosterbeek

The PDG and I, with her sister Lynne and her husband Richard, were in Arnhem for the weekend. We had arrived at the Van der Valk hotel in Arnhem the previous evening, and a two day tour of the battleground was due to commence at 10.00 this morning. However there was a slight problem. Our guide, Pat Murphy, my colleague at Watton Rotary Club, with his partner Pam, had missed the ferry from Harwich yesterday. Instead they had to wait for the evening ferry, which made an overnight crossing to the Hook of Holland. They expected to arrive at the hotel in time for our 10.00 start, traffic permitting.

Van der Valk Hotel

In the days leading up to this weekend I started reading Anthony Beevor’s history of the battle of Arnhem, to try and get an understanding of the events leading up to this conflict and the aftermath. To be honest I found it rather heavy going. I was looking for an overview of the battle, but the book really went into forensic detail, and I was regularly confused as to whether I was reading about British, German or American regiments. I was looking forward to Pat putting some of the complexities in to some kind of context.

Pat, himself an ex-para, has been organizing tours of Arnhem for  several years, usually for Rotarians, their families and friends, at least two per year. He pays his own way, and has never sought any payment for his services, other than a beer or two in the hotel bar. As he explained, he just loves doing it.

The Rhine at Arnhem

He and Pam duly arrived at the Hotel just before 10.00 a.m. looking fresh from their overnight crossing. The first thing he said to me was unexpected. ‘Are you suitably dressed for a wreath laying ceremony?’ he said, looking at my casual trousers and polo shirt.  I was mortified to have completely forgotten that before we came, he had asked me for a contribution towards the cost of a wreath we would be laying at a war cemetery on behalf of the Rotary Club. Hurriedly I went back into the hotel and picked out a dark jumper which I could wear over the shirt. Now we were all ready and off we went at 10.00 precisely, with military precision, the four of us in my car following Pat and Pam.

Immaculate - The Arnhem-Oosterbeek War Cemetery

Our first visit was to one of the landing zones around 6 miles outside of the town, near a village called Wolfheze. The first British troops and their equipment to arrive were flown in by glider, to a number of designated landing zones in broad daylight. In retrospect, one of the reasons for the failure of the mission was the refusal of air staff to consider a night drop, worrying that it was too dangerous to land gliders in darkness. Also they insisted the drop zones and landing zones were situated 6 to 8 miles away from the objective to avoid aircraft losses. These decisions ensured the Airborne Division lost the element of surprise. German defenders could see them landing and would be fully prepared as they headed for the bridge over the Rhine. I stood for a while trying to imagine the mayhem of the landings at this site, with some gliders crashing, some being shot down by enemy fire.

Glider memorial

Our next stop, at a railway culvert, demonstrated the difficulty of facing an enemy who were prepared for them. One of the Para battalions were retreating under intense enemy fire, and needed to cross the railway line into Arnhem to reach the relative safety of Oosterbeek. The railway line ran across a high embankment, where retreating soldiers were sitting ducks for enemy artillery. Whilst it was impossible to manhandle vehicles and guns over the embankment, it was discovered that if air was released from tyres, the vehicles could just squeeze through the culvert, originally designed to allow rainwater to drain away. However as they emerged on the other side, a deadly reception awaited them from German troops who had been expecting them. As we looked at the culvert, it seemed so quiet and peaceful that it was difficult to imagine the deadly firefight which occurred here.

The railway culvert - note poppy wreaths

Another visit that morning was to a memorial at Heelsum, which had been made from drop zone relics, including canisters containing arms and equipment dropped by parachute. Here also we came across a bench donated to the Rotary Club of Oosterbeek by Downham Market Rotary Club, from Norfolk, together with Shanklin, Isle of Wight club some 20 years earlier.

Memorial at Heelsum

Rotary bench

From here we headed towards Arnhem along the second of the 3 routes taken by the Airborne Division. This was the lower route, code-named Lion, which followed the river into the town. The Second Para Battalion advanced along this route, facing fierce opposition the whole way. We stopped at a railway underpass where the British paras found themselves trapped by heavily armed German troops on the other side of the underpass, firing down at them from the railway embankment. It was astonishing that the bullet marks were still visible on the bricks. Once again I tried to imagine the bravery of men who would come through that underpass knowing what was awaiting them on the other side.

Deadly underpass.....

......Bullet holes still visible

Half a mile further on we were into Arnhem itself and stopped for a while at St Elizabeth Hospital. Originally a hotel, and now divided into apartments, it was a hospital at the time of the battle and played a significant role in the battle which at times raged all around it. Throughout the battle it treated wounded troops from the Airborne Division and was the base for the 16^th Parachute Field Ambulance.

St Elizabeth Hospital

From here we moved on to the bridge itself, which was rebuilt after the war. It survived the battle of Arnhem intact but was destroyed by the US Air Force a month later to prevent Germans from using it to send reinforcements. The bridge was the focal point of the battle, although only 2 Para Battalion, under the command of Lt Col John Frost, actually reached it. Their job was to hold the bridge until reinforcements arrived, but none came. They had been asked to hold the bridge for 48 hours, although they actually held it, under a constant barrage of enemy fire, for three whole days and nine hours. The replacement bridge, which we walked across today, was renamed the John Frost Bridge in memory of the heroics of that day.

John Frost Bridge

We headed next to Ginkel Heath for lunch, and afterwards walked on the Heath, which is about 8 miles from Arnhem and was the site of landings by 4 Para brigade on day 2 of the battle. By now the Germans were fully aware of Allied plans and the Brigade suffered heavy losses on the fly-in. Those who advanced towards the bridge from Ginkel Heath would have passed the crossroads where the Van der Valk Hotel now stands.

Information Board at Ginkel Heath

We visited a number of key areas relating to the battle, including Acacia Lane, with its tree commemorating Sgt Baskeyville’s VC, the site of the German blocking line along Dreijenseweg, and the Air Despatchers memorial, where we laid a cross. Our main stop that afternoon was to be at the Arnhem-Oosterbeek War ceremony.

Air Despatchers memorial

We stopped en route at a café / bar called Leeren Doedel, where Pat said we could get the best ever apple pies. Well we needed no persuasion as we all ordered apple pie, and were not disappointed. Whilst the rest of us chatted over coffee, Pat said he needed to go and ‘change’. I didn’t really know what he meant, until he emerged from the rest room resplendent in his army uniform complete with campaign medals! Although he had mentioned it when we set off that morning, I was so wrapped up in the sites we were visiting that I hadn’t thought any more about the wreath-laying ceremony we were to perform this afternoon.

At the cemetery - Richard, Lynne, PDG, Pam and Pat

After a short drive we arrived at the Oosterbeek War Cemetery, normally a peaceful place to visit for quiet reflection whilst examining the hundreds of immaculately-kept graves of the Allied dead. Well, there was nothing quiet about it today. The cemetery was the focal point of a Fun Run  to raise funds in connection with the 75^th Anniversary of the battle of Arnhem. Some runners were setting off and others were arriving at a marshalling area just outside the cemetery gates. Many of those who finished their run were then going into the cemetery to pay their respects. Pat carried the Rotary wreath which I assumed he would simply place at the memorial in the centre of the cemetery, where there were several others, and that would be it.

Pat speaks

But Pat had other ideas. As we arrived at the memorial, surrounded by all the graves, and scores of lycra-clad fun-runners, he cleared his throat and delivered an address in his best sergeant-major’s voice. He spoke of the sacrifices made by Allied troops to push the Nazis out of the countries they had invaded. Asking all those present to reflect on the many thousands of Allied lives lost during the Battle of Arnhem, not to mention over 500 civilian lives, he then called for one minute’s silence. I was amazed. All the Dutch runners had stopped in their tracks and were listening to every word. You could have heard a pin drop during the minute’s silence. At the end of it he asked me to place our wreath on the memorial, which I duly did, amid total silence from all those looking on. At the end of the ceremony, lots of people came up to Pat to shake his hand and thank him for the words he had spoken. It was a spine-tingling moment.

Our wreath is on the right

Later we returned to the Hotel for a one course meal and a convivial evening in the bar afterwards. We had done so much today, and there was still so much more to see.

Arnhem Part 1 - The Hook

Last September,  before Coronavirus replaced Brexit as the only topic of conversation, we went on a weekend visit to Arnhem, in the Netherlands. Arnhem was the focal point in 1944 of a bold attempt by the Allies, led by  General Montgomery,  to shorten the Second World War by seizing bridges over Holland’s rivers and canals, thus facilitating a swift advance by Allied troops into Germany.

Arnhem bridge today

One of our Watton Rotarians, Pat Murphy, has for a number of years led tours to the town, enabling people like myself with little or no knowledge of the battle to appreciate the courage and sacrifice made by the men of the 1^st Airborne Division and their Polish Allies. Operation Market garden, as it was called, ended in failure at Arnhem’s bridge over the Rhine. The story of the conflict became the subject of the film ‘A Bridge too Far’. Pat’s tour would take us to the areas where fighting was at its fiercest, and many of the buildings can still be seen today. We were going to be in Arnhem just a few days before the 75^th anniversary of the Arnhem campaign.

The bridge as depicted in 'A Bridge Too far'

Our group of 6 would comprise myself and the PDG, her sister Lynne and her husband Richard, and Pat with his partner Pam. We had no doubt that our tour would be organised with military precision, since Pat is himself a former Para. We were to leave on Friday 13^th September on the morning ferry from Harwich to Hook of Holland and return home the following Monday. Our tour of the Arnhem battle sites would take place on Saturday and Sunday. Two cars would be used, mine and Pat’s.  Our plan was that the PDG and I would travel to Braintree on the Thursday before, stay overnight in the local Holiday Inn, and in the morning pick up Lynne and Richard who live a mile away, and then head off on the hour or so’s journey to Harwich where we were booked on to the 9.00 ferry. We were to meet Pat and Pam at the terminal.

Harwich ferry terminal

We arrived at the ferry terminal in good time, and were amazed to see a small army of WW2 armoured vehicles, tanks, and ambulances  lined up, waiting to board our ferry. Upon chatting to a couple of them, we learnt that the convoy was making its way to Arnhem for the 75^th anniversary of the battle on 17^th September. Some of the vehicles were not capable of travelling more than a few miles an hour, so they had allowed 4 days to get there. Sitting there in the queue to board the ferry, I began to realise what a momentous occasion the 75^th Anniversary celebrations were going to be.

Picture from web

It was while we were admiring these old military vehicles that I received a call from Pat. He and Pam were stuck in traffic (unlike us, they were driving from home this morning, a journey of about two hours with a fair wind). He did not think they would make it in time to catch the ferry. They were going to return home and try for the evening ferry, which would get them to Hook of Holland tomorrow morning. We were therefore on our own for 24 hours. Fortunately Pat had already given us a comprehensive pack of information, including directions to our Hotel, the Van der Valk in Arnhem.

Hook of Holland terminal

So we boarded the ferry, and located our cabin. Although it was a daytime crossing, it was to take 7 hours, and on Pat’s advice we had pre-booked a cabin between the four of us so we had somewhere to come back to for some shut-eye if we needed it. As we left Harwich, and the Essex coast stretched before us, Richard and I went up on deck and, being an Essex lad, he was able to point out various landmarks, including some fortifications a few miles off shore, at least one of which is lived in. We went down for a full English breakfast, and for the rest of the trip we divided our time between the outside deck, the ship’s lounge and our cabin, and the time passed pleasantly enough.

Our ship, the Stena Hollandica

We arrived at The Hook around 5 p.m. local time and there was quite a long delay getting off the ship as one of the WW2 tanks ahead of us appeared to have broken down. Eventually it got on its’ way in a cloud of black smoke and we were able to move out of the port . We had just left the dockyard when I realised I had forgotten to switch my speedometer from miles per hour to kilometres per hour. I could have stopped somewhere and done it, but decided not to. I knew that 1 kilometre is roughly 5/8 of a mile, which means that a bit of mental arithmetic whenever we came to a speed limit sign enabled me to convert to mph.

Our car

 Pat had told us the distance to Arnhem was about 85 miles and it would take about 1 hour 30 minutes, but I don’t think he had factored in the Friday night rush hour. Most of our journey was along motorways, but sheer weight of traffic, particularly near cities such as Rotterdam and Utrecht meant it was stop / start at times. Nevertheless I thoroughly enjoyed the drive. Dutch roads, like those in France are a pleasure to drive on. The surface was invariably excellent, I don’t recall any pot-holes, and junctions were well laid out and signposted. However Dutch drivers did not appear to be great respecters of speed limits, and great care needed to be taken when venturing into the outside lane, as vehicles which appeared a speck on the horizon in the rear view mirror, were very quickly right behind. This is where I think having a GB sticker helps, as it indicated that we were obviously  foreigners more used to driving on the other side of the road, and consequently other drivers gave us a bit more space.

Nothing left to chance - Pat provided us with detailed road maps

I had never previously been to Rotterdam, and on this occasion we merely bypassed it on the Motorway A20, so we didn’t get much of a view of the city. It seemed ironic to think that I would be returning to this fine city next month, this time on a cruise ship, the Columbus, bound for the Canaries. My objective on that occasion will be the same as whenever I visit Amsterdam, namely to find the nearest Pancake House. Holland is famous for them, and everybody should have one whenever they visit.

CMV Columbus

I think it was about 7.30 before we arrived at our Hotel, the Van der Valk, and checking in was very straight forward. I was a bit embarrassed, because when I am abroad I like to try and speak a few words of the local language, but I knew no Dutch at all, except for ‘Danke vel’ (Thank you). Not that it mattered, everyone seemed to speak English well, and were happy to practice on us. It was a good, mid-sized family run hotel, and one where Pat is very well known, as he comes at least twice a year to conduct a tour. We had a good meal in the Hotel Restaurant, but we found 3 courses  a bit too much and resolved to stick to just one course in future. I must be getting old! By now we were exhausted and went off for an early night, so we would be ready for tomorrow’s tour, which was scheduled to start at 10.00 a.m.

Hotel Van der Valk