Welcome Aggelos! Giorgo, Elia, Semeli enjoy this amazing gift! Gioia and Alex are in heaven with their new nephew and look forward to meeting him soon.
Slow motion
We entered the sea hybernation mode, where you become one with the sand, and start cutting sentences in half because it costs too much effort to talk. You know, when your heart beats just enough to keep you going, and the biggest dilemma of the day is beer or wine (or ouzo). This mode.
I will never forget Martijn’s first holiday with my Greek friends, in Irakleia (I know non Greeks never heard of this island). In legendary Irakleia we spent a week, I think, under a tree. This.
[Background for people not familiar with the Dutch way of being: A Dutch that respects himself needs to be active. Very. Active. Sit and chill makes you feel guilty. You need to be busy, efficient and do all types of sports. You cycle to all directions and elevations with all weather conditions, preferrably with the wind against you to prove your Dutchness. And then you do trekking and some climbing for digestion, because you didn’t sweat enough. You get the point.]
So Martijn survived tropical temperatures and because he is not blond and when lying under a tree you can’t see his very Dutch height, people started talking to him in Greek. Ha. Ha. He didn’t have a nervous breakdown and we didn’t break up after this. Relationship crash test: CHECK!
Back to the present: When we arrived at Patras, after a night with me and Alex having become one on the narrowest bed I have ever seen, we had to reboot. As in: throw away all the dairy products (10 minutes was not enough to also empty the fridge), fill the tank and put some order in the hurricane chaos of the cabin. And we drove to Lehaina, to meet my mom!
Introducing Lehaina and ’the farm’ house there needs a whole different chapter, which I won’t write now, but let’s say few people had the chance to spend their summer the way my sister, my cousins and I did. The thing is that we didn’t know whether the camper could make the curve over the bridge to the house. It did! Ole!
We greeted aunt Gianna and the dogs, saw the house, loaded fruits and olive oil to the camper and left to the next camping. My mom had booked a room next to us, so we would spend the next 5 days together at the sea. The camping was truly amazing, large spaces, shadows, sea in front of us and contrary to all norms Dutch-free (full of Germans, though).
Very nice to introduce the campering experience to my mom. At the end of the holiday together, my 63-year old mom, who has not been fond of camping, said: she liked camping and she can even see herself doing this WITH A TENT! Is this not a huge success???
And the sea…man..the sea. Do take notes: Camping Melissa, Kastro Killinis. Looks like this:
That’s the question
Is Alex too white or am I too tanned?
When I was young – and the beauty of not planning
Do you remember how it was to be young? You would leave home to meet friends at around the time you now go to bed. The day was long and you were rarely in a hurry; everything moved slowly. Now things are different. If I need a millisecond for myself I need to arrange stuff the whole time, so there is some sort of efficiency and the day can fit some ‘me time’. Do not think intense enjoyment during ‘me time’: it is mostly looking at the ceiling, dead, happy that no one is demanding anything from me.
This whole thing with the camper made us young again. So when I received a message from Alex C. somewhere in the north of France, (day 3 of our trip or so) that he would give a party in Italy to celebrate his 40th birthday together with four other 40-year-old friends, we decided to go. Because we are young and because we can. Who cares about the initial idea of travelling through b-roads, coast by coast around France? This is why we have vague plans: to be able to NOT follow them! We started taking the highways instead, and started driving as quickly as we could to make it to the party. It would be a surprise not only for Alex, but also for Riccardo and Domenico, for old Delft’s sake.
To be honest I thought Martijn wasn’t serious when he said ‘let’s go’. Not only because we should all of a sudden start rushing, but also because the party was somewhere in the mountains of Umbria, in something like a forest with something like a building. Google street view showed narrow rural uphill roads: the camper could no way fit. If we could make it width-wise and not fall to the side, we would definitely hit the side trees because of our height. ‘Jesus Martijn, the kids..’ Martijn would have a constant smile and his usual ‘komt goed’ attitude. We also convinced ourselves that if we don’t manage to arrive we would still enjoy Italy for longer than we initially thought. Ok then, let’s do it.
The last 15 minutes of the route I was holding my breath. Mostly because the road wasn’t that bad and I thought it would get bad anytime. Imagine, being 10 min far from the party and unable to reach it. No way.
And then it happened: 50 m from the ‘house’ we could not pass because of the trees. I jumped out to ask for help, with Martijn screaming: noooo, you will ruin the surprise. Alex saw me, hugs, nice to see you etc and then they got right at work: with a ladder and ropes and covers to hold the trees so we can pass with as little scratches as possible. Bingo. We parked in the perfect spot for the kids to be able to sleep while mom and dad party.
Great party, amazing people, lovely location and our beloved friends – what more do u want. Thank you zio for saying I looked the same. Even if it was dark and you probably changed your mind the morning after, it is the greatest compliment I can receive after 10 years and two pregnancies. #zioforevergrateful
I installed an app to check the music level cause apparently louder than 80dbs could create ‘permenent hearing loss’ at (little) Alex. Ups. I did my checks, we were safe. Poor Alex. His first party was a bit loud. He woke up many times and the last dj gave up at around 09:00 am. Which is after we woke up for breakfast! It is nice to be young again!
The day after there were ‘corpses’ spread all over. More chit chatting and more catch ups with great views. We confirmed once again Italians are intensely enjoying life and moved on to enjoy more of this incredible country.
And some departures…
A little candle for my uncle Dimos who sadly passed away yesterday. He was one of these cancer heroes, who learned what it is to fight for your life every day. We will remember you for your sarcasm, constant jokes and the clothes you made – some of which I still wear.
Given the sad opportunity, I send a warm hug to Anna – we will never forget Renate and we hope you are doing well. A big kiss to my friend Georgia too; I think of you and your dad very often.
I do not need a reason to think of my dad cause I do this every day anyway. But still, when death comes close to my friends or family, I cannot help it but think of him even more.
Uncle Dimos rest in peace. Dad I miss you.
Being a man
It must be nice being a man. I have never been one, but all I can say by observing Martijn and my male colleagues is that for a man life is simple. Very. Simple. A bit binary, like yes or no and nothing in between, but simple.
So while I tidied my clothes and these of the kids in perfectly (for me) logical order in the cabin, Martijn said he doesn’t even need space. He would put clothes in the back storage in a box. So. Simple.
I admire myself and my perfectly logical system every time I need something: i know which space, corner, tower has the item I look for. And of course I expected Martijn to give up his ‘i am too cool and travel light’ idea pretty soon. No, I was wrong. He beat me big time. Cause sometimes my perfect order is not so perfect after all and I move around opening and closing cupboards in agony. And Martijn only has to open the storage door and look under the toy box (bottom right.
Sigh. I lost.
New arrivals!
We are away for 5 days now and we already got great news of baby arrivals!
Dana, welcome to this world! We love you already! Daysa, Jeroen and Ella, congratulations and enjoy this little miracle!
Hey little Εκτορα, welcome too! You surprised us a little, but these are nice surprises! Panagioti, Aggeliki, Iasona you are such a lucky family! A huge hug to Brussels!
Unconditionally happy
We all have our moments during the travel. Except one, who is unconditionally happy. It doesn’t matter where we are and what we do, whether he gets attention or not. We adore you Alex!
From Gioia to Juno
