When we got to the train station in Schiphol Airport, I was shocked, and a little unnerved to see police with very large guns, standing right in front of us as we exited the train. I messaged Josje about it, and she told me what happened in Paris. It made me sad, and I realized just how different things are in Europe. It is a scary world in which we live, and I realized how far removed we are from events in Europe. That is one advantage to living in a large country.
Voorschoten is a beautiful village. European charm drips from every site, and it felt incredibly safe. The village is quiet, but it has everything that the residents need for daily life. Everything was in bloom there, and many people have small gardens (yards) that are well-manicured. There seemed to be more single-family homes than apartments, as found in other cities.
Dinner was at the home of Marianne (cousin) and Clemens. Their home is a 16th century home that they fully restored and modernized. It is now a protected home, and on the official registry of historic buildings. The history of the home is very interesting and intriguing. You can take a look here (scroll down to see the flyer in English): Historic Village Farmhouse
What a wonderful dinner Clemens and Marianne served us! We started off with salmon mousse over greens that were topped in an oil/balsamic vinegar dressing, then moved onto asparagus soup (oh, my word!) After the soup, Clemens took us on a tour of the house, while Marianne and Greetje cooked the fish. The house is full of twists and turns, stairs, old-world charm, antiques, and character, all while containing modern conveniences. After our tour, we sat down to the main meal: creamed spinach, fish with melted French cheese, and duchess potatoes. Talk about a gourmet meal! It was erg lekker (very delicious)! After the main course, we enjoyed great conversation and much laughter. The final course was a cheese platter, then dessert. The cheese platter contained French cheeses and a cheddar from England. I realized that cheese in Europe is so much better than even imported cheese from Europe. Maybe a lesser quality is sent over or maybe it was because of the company. Jake, Clemens, Marianne, and Greetje enjoyed a bit of Portuguese wine, which paired well with the cheese. I was holding out for dessert, so I only tasted a sliver of the blue cheese, cheddar, and one of the French cheeses (nobody knew what it was called; LOL). Dessert did not disappoint. It was a hazelnut torte which had layers of meringue and a light cream. It was light and had just the right sweetness. That's the thing with European sweets; they're not overly sweet (so unlike American sweets).
To say that it was difficult to say goodbye to this sweet family would do it an injustice to how we felt. The immediate connection was evident, so leaving them was difficult. I will cherish this evening that we spent together.
Jake: Since Julia talked a lot about the food and Marianne's home. I will talk about the house and the drinks.
The 16th century home captured the old Dutch heritage within it's five floors. The first floor or cellar contained a kitchen in one end of the home to the other end with a wine/beer cellar and storage area. The second floor contained the dining room with an old stove with delft tile covering the outside and inside of the fireplace. The third floor contained the living room where we visited when we first arrived with another fireplace covered in more delft tile with another old stove at one end of the house. At the other end of the house was a secret room with another fireplace with delft tiles with wall of books and music that overlooked the city street at the front end of the home. The fourth floor contained two bedrooms and a bathroom in the middle of the home. The fifth floor was a bedroom room at one end, and another room off of one of the rooms on the fourth floor. You entered the study with a ladder to a bedroom.
Every inch of the home was refurbished to look as close to the original 16th century home. The mix of wood, stone, tiles, and architecture captures the essence of the night as we visited around a traditional meal at the dining room.
This night was full of drink. Clemens, Marianne's husband, served Belgian beer as we visited in the living room on the third floor. It was light, crisp, and full of flavor. I had another Belgian beer during the appetizer and soup courses during our meal in the dining room.
Then I was instructed to have white wine during our main course and cheese course. During the cheese course, Clemens served a Portuguese Wine in a shot glass, which had a bold fruity flavor with a strong bite at the end in the back of the throat. I believe it will be very hard to drink any beer, wine, or such in Michigan after such good beer and wine in Holland.
After a quick walk (running) to the train station, we crashed on the train back to Schiphol. Looking forward to our rest before we had to get up early for our flight the next day.
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