Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.... in Ottawa this morning. If you are fortunate enough to have these unique cristalized forms of water falling from the sky in your area, count yourself lucky to have such a natural miracle happening around you. On this delightful snowy morning, I thought that a good topic to talk about, would be what you think is the best family vacation that you`ve been on. I am a person who loves to travel and I am blessed with a family that loves new adventures almost as much as I do. And I'm also aware that this will be two "love" posts in a row, but the world needs a little more love in it, so I'm going to talk about it anyways.
I have been on many different excursions such as multiple campings trips, visiting relatives all across southern Ontario and Québec; I've been to Florida and Michigan, and I've been on a two week trip to explore the East coast. Though I've had lots of fun during each of these trips, I have to say that my favorite family trip so far has to be when I went to the Netherlands with my father and mother for a family reunion (my brother had to stay home since he needed to work). My Oma and Opa (my father's parents), joined us on our way there, and it was incredible to be able to see the land of which my roots were tied to. I was able to meet many relatives of whom I had never met before, (some of which I hadn't even heard of before,) all the while being able to experience customary dutch traditions and creating ties with my newly reunited family members. It was so great to see both of my grand parents speaking dutch with their brothers and sisters, and just seeing them feel right at home.
Not only was the family time great, but the country itself is incredibly beautiful. I am proud to say that we got to see the great majority of the country. We started off in farm country, staying with my father's cousin in their quaint little house next to a pond and small petting zoo. We visited the town of Silvolde, where my Opa grew up, and I was even able to see the house in which he grew up in. We saw old dutch pioneer museums, we visited a dutch castle as well as a few old churches. We travelled through forests of tall, dense trees and then made our way to Kijkduin, where we stayed in a hotel on the beach of the North Sea. We also got the chance to spend the day in Amsterdam to get a feeling of what a big, touristic city is like. We got the chance to take boat rides through the canals and water ways; I saw the area in which my Oma grew up in and we even got to visit a beautiful garden as well as a few flower greenhouses. I have never been more proud to be dutch than when I walked around and visited this beautiful, clean and showful country. I am truly thankful for all of my relatives that invited us and took cares of us during our stay; it was a very memorable trip.
Family is the most important thing in the world; whether it is your actual blood relatives, or the family you choose. Cherish the time you have with them, because memories live in you while the time keeps moving forward. Be thankful and take the chance to travel; you might just find yourself because "not all those who wander are lost". -J.R.R. Tolkien
K.P.H.
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