I feel deeply compelled to share some of the crazy kindness I've encountered here in Northern Holland. In Southern Holland, Abby had told me about the Frieslanders-- a strange and curious folk that spoke their own version of Dutch, and that kept to themselves. I was very curious to experience their land.
I've noticed that the Dutch really seem to think of themselves as cold and distant and ungenerous. My experience has been the complete opposite! Especially here in Friesland.
My first night in Friesland, I had found an open Wifi network in Harlingen's small town square. It was 10:30 PM when I sent my last message, shut my computer and prepared to head off into the cold, windy and wet night. It had not been a good day (read the stove episode!). I was not looking forward to finding a campsite at this hour.
As I got up a lady emerged from the front door of a nearby house. "Are you leaving?" she enquired. I was certain that she had figured out I was pirating their Wifi and that the cops were on their way. "I am going, I am going" I tried to assure her.
Her next words blew me away.
"Would you like a hot coffee? A bowl of soup?"
You have to understand that at this point, my fingers were frozen from typing, and I had completely resigned myself to camping under a wet bush. Not only that but I had just been talking to a friend who had been taking a hot bath.
I stammered my delighted acceptance.
The rest of the family joined us in the living room as I craddled my soup with cold hands. Apparently they don't see many Canadian cyclists out their front window! Before I knew it I was invited to spend the night in their spare bed room. And then... to my utter awe I found myself taking a steamy hot bath. I was flabbergasted. I fell to my knees in the bathroom and thanked the universe (really!).
Its amazing how little things can mean so much.
I think the Harlingen family saw this and they were delighted to share some little things with me. After such a bad previous day, I left feeling restored, warm and sunny again. Beautiful. Bedankt!
Let me also mention that they were proffessional maritime acheologists! The next morning we talked into the afternoon about their exploration of the Lucine, a 17th century wreck of a ship carrying lots of gold. They had artifacts all over and a movie of their 20 year odyssey. Talk about interesting. And I shared my art. It was a great exchange.
Yet in my two days traversing Friesland, this was but the start of the kindness! There was the lady who actually stopped her car beside me when I looked lost to give me directions, got out and walked up to me. Then there was the farmers that insisted that rather than sleep in my tent I sleep in their barn with 20 pregnant sheep (he fed them well and they were quiet)! The hockey player who gave me directions. The man who told me about the Friesland flag... It goes on!
Friesland is definitely Friendly.
:-)
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