Sunday, June 29, 2008

So much to blog, so little time

Tomorrow (June 30, 2008) I'll be 60 and I must admit it shows in the pace that time passes. Yes and also in my face. So although I have lots of time it seems like there is very little of it.

Quickly on to the current affairs then: what started so well ended in elimination of the Dutch football team. Too bad, very sad, better next time.

But that's yesterday's news isn't it?
VallyP has given her report of the first half of the trip. I did the second half alone, which also meant half the fun. Much of that second leg was over wider waters, which I now know are not my cup of tea. You've seen one mile you've seen them all, when the waters are wider than say 500 meters.

Luckily de river Vecht more than made up for it. That is a stunning little meandering gem of a river from IJsselmeer to Utrecht, a city you cross through old canals like those in Amsterdam'.


Like Amsterdam, Utrecht has an elaborate red light district, not in houses, however, but in houseboats. Here are a few of them, neatly and uniformly arranged along the quayside of the river. And 'to keep the customers satisfied' they all have air conditioning units on the roof.

All the photos I took on that part of the journey can be seen in this Slide Show.

Back in the house Westdorpe I decided I needed some real photographic input, so I spent Saturday on my motorscooter for a visit to my beloved Maubeuge, a former industrial town on the river Sambre in northern France.

Here an example of the 180 photos I took there.
Link
The rest of them can be seen here in a slideshow.

17 comments:

Vallypee said...

✯☆✩HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU☆☆✬✮

Hope you have a super wonderful day my Koosje!! And all these pictures of Utrecht are just gorgeous. Wish I'd been there, really I do!

Koos F said...

Thank you VallyP. I was soooo hoping you'd be the first to comment, I had to delete at least 4 other comments for it, but it's been worth the while.

Vallypee said...

Well, it was still Sunday according to my last comment, but now it really is Monday, so another BIG Happy Birthday to you my Koosje xxxxx

Jo said...

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY 60th birthday Koos. It was a happy happy day when you came into mum's life and we are grateful for every day you are with us!

Big hugs and kisses from you quarter-daughter

Koos F said...

Jo: xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo (ad lib.)

bookworm said...

Hi Koos,

happy birthday. Have a wonderful day and a lot of sunshine in the future.

All the best from me.
Stefan

Anne-Marie said...

Happy Birthday, Koos! And thank you for the visual travelogue- I never knew Utrecht had a red light district... now do you see why we need this blog?

I hope you have a fantastic day and many happy returns! Tomorrow, our country turns 141, so don't feel too old!

xx
AM and Austin

Koos F said...

Thanks for your wonderfully thoughtful wishes, Anne-Marie and Stefan. You are both such faithful friends, I find that really touching.

mo said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS da man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you have a rockin day
Love Mo N Craigus

gypsy noir said...

Puff!-pant!-weeze!-gasp!!!!

Hope I got here in time to wish you a
'VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY KOOS'!!!!

Love and bestest wishes from Me and Neil of course..

have a fab party at the weekend..
xxx

Dale said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KOOS!

Sixty years old?
Why, I remember when you were a mere fifty-seven...

Hope you had a great birthday on the slipway!

We had fireworks last night in celebration...

grace said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KOOS!! it is just a number, you are as young as you feel! And from what I can tell, you are enjoying life to it's fullest.

All the best for a terrific year.

xox Grace, june & summer:)

MargieCM said...

Dear Koos, I'm so sorry to have missed your big day! I feel highly inadequate. As you probably know from Vally I've been off the radar for a while in recuperation mode, and have slipped a bit sideways over the past few days, which explains if not excuses my behaviour.

I hope you had a wonderful day full of celebration and love, and that you have at least 60 more years of messing about in boats and behind the camera in front of you.

Colin's taking me away to the Bay for four or five days now to rest properly - it's too easy to try and do things here - so I won't be around these parts again until next Wednesday (no online stuff there!) Please give each other a big hug from me in the mean time.

Love from us all,

xoxoxox

Anonymous said...

So little time.....
Thought while having you on the phone you'd bought a 'spits'. Although that is what I heard and understood. It doesn't look like a spits but it does sail (or..fare, sorry Val), it even sailed the river Vecht with you on board.
Did you pass the seelocks in Muiden?
Congratulations with this new item in your collection. Probably much more convenient to fare with than with the real classics you own.
Would be happy to see it 'live'.
Where did you moore it?
Kind regards and love,
E.J.

Anonymous said...

Wat is Utrecht toch een schitterende stad! Bedankt voor het mogen zien van je foto's.
Tobias uit Den Haag

Anonymous said...

For many years Obtain Viagra Discount Apothecary has been recognizable all of a add up to unequalled online drugstore suppliers and customers nearly Best Discount Cialis Pharmacy Online the world.

Anonymous said...

When you position Viagra or some other meds in our shop you may be trustworthy get Viagra Online that this issue only of pre-eminent quality desire be delivered to you positively in time.