Week 22 Aussie Visitors

Week 22 in Wijnjewoude

And, on a lighter note, it’s spring and the birds are singing in the hope of finding a mate. A team of researchers has studied that the type of songs that certain bird species sing is determined not only by their social context but also by their genes. Thus, a song of a bird born in Stockholm but of Dutch origin would still have traces of its Dutch ancestors, even if its melody resembled that of its Swedish contemporaries.

This May may be the wettest since records began in 1906, broadcaster NOS said on Tuesday.

So far more than 20 centimetres of rain has fallen in the south of Brabant and Limburg, four times the monthly average. And in the De Bilt weather station near Utrecht, where national records are set, the amount of rain is creeping up to the 2007 record of 13.8 centimetres, NOS said.

But despite the huge volume of rain in places, in parts of the north it has been dry. Just 47 millimetres of rain have fallen in Hoogeveen, for example, which is two-thirds of the normal amount.

Grandson Tom and his friend Helena, with Ben at our local restaurant De Stripe

We had picked Ben up from Emmen on the Sunday and saw signs to Westerbork - we thought that might be something to do with Tom and Helena...it would also be a first for us, although Janny had seen it in her youth whilst on a school camp.

Kamp Westerbork is the site of the stepping off point for transportation of Jews during WWII - around 98 trains carrying more than 100,000 people - including Anne Frank, eventually. There is a Remembrance Centre with displays and information. A bus then takes visitors to the site of the original barracks and train facilities.

https://museumtv.nl/tentoonstelling/herinneringscentrum-kamp-westerbork/#

(The narration is in Dutch, but it does show pictures of some of the the things we saw - including the house occupied by the Camp Commandant - now enclosed within a glass structure for preservation).

A collection of photos can be seen here...

https://www.dedokwerker.nl/fotos_kamp_westerbork.html

The radio telescopes were placed after the war.

Also after the war, the barracks were used to house "Molluccans" (Indonesian soldiers who aided the Netherlands during the war - I need to look this up, but I think this led to the hi-jacking of a train, which I vaguely remember from the 70's).

Later, the barracks were broken down and used for other purposes - one was later found and returned, to give an impression of what it looked like. The area landscape was "bald" at the time, but the Forestry Commision has planted a forest here now.

This was perhaps the most moving display for me... the upturned railway tracks symbolising "heading to heaven" for the many victims. 

There is also a plain containing bricks representing the more than 100,000 people. About 250 of the bricks have a flame symbol instead of the Star of David - these represent Roma and Sisti people who were also deported.

A constant theme seemed to be that the Commandant wanted the camp to "appear"  as normal as possible - a working camp for the people living here. They were not told of their future - just that they were being shipped off to other work camps.

We were all shaking our heads a bit...just at the very thought that such things could have happened.

There are two railway carriages on site (they say that it is not known if these were actually used - but they are at least similar). There is a TV screen here scrolling through the names of the victims. Every year there is also a "Reading of the Names" Ceremony - where volunteers read the names out loud - it takes 5 days and nights to complete.

On Tuesday we did our more usual "Trip to Dokkum", stopping at the clog maker (and Clog Museum) on the way...

A lamp made from a lump of clog wood (willow)

At the rear of the Clog Museum is an information centre about fierljeppen... (leppen = leaping)

Fierljeppen, a spectacular and unique sport that is deeply rooted in Frisian culture. This traditional Frisian version of pole vaulting has been a popular activity in the watery areas of Friesland for centuries. Fierljeppen is a combination of strength, technique and courage, in which participants jump over ditches and canals with the help of a long pole.

And in Dokkum it rained of course, in this wettest of wet May's.

On Tuesday, Ben had a very special wedding to attend...he met his friend Chang when he was studying in Hong Kong...Chang's family is in the Chinese restaurant business, as is his bride's family...so little wonder that food played such a prominent role... a 4 course menu for lunch and then an 8 course meal for dinner...

Apart from the food, the rest of it looked pretty posh, as well....

When I was working at the old Training College, one of my early jobs was to fill the firehouse with wood for burning...I "rescued" some dumped furniture during one of my leaner periods - this set of drawers has travelled with me since... (the tea cup on top is also more than 50 years old). I'm cleaning out the large upstairs room which is to be Ben's when he comes home - or for visitors when he's not here.

I let one of the kids drive "The Beast" - without the blades in action. The grass is again too wet to mow - so much rain!