I can't believe I didn't bring my camera!!

These pictures (not taken by me) that represent where I went today.

Well, today was a busy day!

To begin, this was a GORGEOUS, SUNNY day - we've been waiting for this.

I had coffee with Barbara who is on the board of AWC and lives in Wassenaar, and is the wife of a VP at Alex's company. She gave me a very warm welcome, with coffee, delicious cookies and a beautiful gift - that I have to pick up later because I took my bike to her house and I don't have any saddle bags (it is my mountain bike and not a 'proper' bike with rack, bell, light, etc.) The gift is a pair of big wooden shoes, hand-painted (yellow) with flowering bulbs planted in them. They're quite nice.

Barbara and her family live in one of the large thatched roof homes in Wassenaar and the place is just beautiful. She was really quite nice and seemed excited to meet me and genuinely pleased that I've taken the editor position. Everyone I meet associated with the AWC seems really excited about this. I've probably bitten off more than I can chew - but then what's new??

She also gave me a locally published book on living in Wassenaar and connected me with the woman who publishes it. I've registered for a welcome basket - which will be formally presented at a ceremony where we'll meet the mayor of Wassenaar. I think that's pretty cool :o) This presentation should be on the 17th of April.

After coffee, I took the bus and tram into den Haag to do some more training with the current editor of Going Dutch. While I was there I met the AWC president again and she graciously offered me a ride home (she lives in Wassenaar as well - in one of the mansions across town - we drove by it on the way to ours and I hope we get an invitation to cocktails or somesuch because I'm curious to see the inside).

It was so beautiful that I decided to forego some of the household chores I'd planned to do and I hopped on my bike and rode to the beach. I threw a couple of things in my backpack, looked at the map to figure out which way to ride, and headed out.

The coastline of Wassenaar stretches for over 8 kilometers. Even so, Wassenaar is not officially a seaside resort. The distance between the village and the beach is quite large and a major part of the dunes is used as drinking-water treatment area. There is a very large, unspoiled dune area that surrounds Wassenaar. Parts of this area are used for collecting water and are closed to the public.

It was quite a long bike ride (for me, at least, as I haven't been on a bike in a while.) The bike paths take you through the dunes (the road passes by them, but you have to be on foot or bike to really get in among the dunes -- and witness the spectacular views.

Along the way I stopped at the Hotel Duinoord for lunch. It is nestled in this area and I had a nice lunch on the deck while I watched all the people walking, biking and driving by on this beautiful day where, clearly, lots of people had the same idea as I. Lunch was relaxing and I enjoyed people watching while soaking up some sun.

I hopped back on my bike thinking I was almost to the beach...not so much :O) Although Holland is generally flat, these bike paths have several graduated hills ... as my burning thighs and sore butt are reminding me now! Well worth the struggle though (being passed by old ladies and feeling that some locals were snickering at me when I hopped off the bike unable to peddle up one or two hills to the top - and riding my not-so-proper bicycle) - the view throughout was just amazing. When I finally reached the North Sea - well, wow! (Incidentally, it turns out I drove all the way to Katwijk (just the next town over, but further than I'd thought I was going. It also turns out that the beach is the most famous part of Katwijk - understandably so!)

I CAN'T BELIEVE I DIDN'T BRING THE BLOODY CAMERA! It stays on the hall table or in my backpack from now on.

I hung out and enjoyed more people watching, an an ice cream cone at a place called Benny's Beach Inn (which is not an inn at all), before heading back. The ride home made me out of breath more than once (not because of the views) but I made it back and stopped at the butcher and fruit and veg stand to pick up dinner along the way. I'm going to need a hot bath tonight to recover.