The Stig

Even though the Netherlands is one of the world’s most populated countries in the world and even though space has become scarce and roads numerous, it does not mean that people don’t cherish the small pieces of nature they can enjoy every day.
I grew up in a small village in the centre of the county, 70 km south of Amsterdam, in the heart of the fruit region.
Although a large motorway, the A2 nearby disturbs in some way the feeling of being ‘out in the country’, the fields, river and old trees around the village and the fact shops are not present do make the picture quite picturesque.
In the past decade the amount of tourists passing through, either by bike or by canoe has boomed. On a sunny holiday it becomes a struggle to go out for a walk with the dog on the dike, there are just too many people, and they also see you as a walking information stand, leading to discussions about the best route to take wherever they want to go. (Some even ignore advice completely and leave in the opposite direction where you have pointed them to, why then ask?!!!)
Anyway, long story short, the increase in tourism has lead to ‘asphaltation’ of roads which, in my childhood, used to be paths overgrown by grass in the spring and muddy in the autumn. It was a shock to hear that the very last un-asphalted road in our idyllic village is now under threat by a canoe company that has slowly but steadily grown into an enormous attraction in the region. Years of protests have been in vane, the company has found its way passed community regulations and is continuing to grow. What they want now, is to asphalt the so-called ‘Stig’, a small road crossing fields, just fields. The company wants to use the Stig, a short cut, for the purpose of transporting the canoes from they storage place to the river.
The threat of changing this road has suddenly awakened the whole population, 600 people in total.
Today more than 50 people gathered to protest and to pose for a photo that is said to be published in a large regional newspaper with a highlighting story about ‘the last green road in our village’.
In the past weeks, this road has become a part of my favourite route to walk the dog. It does feel like being out in the country, while I ignore the fact that they are enlarging the A2 with 4 lanes. I do say, more than enough asphalt in this country already: please leave the Stig alone!

Green Grass

When I got back to the Netherlands two weeks I was overwhelmed by the blooming trees and the green grass: spring in its most literal way.
It was almost breathtaking after the last weeks of melting snow pools of mud in Novosibirsk. It probably was not the best moment to leave Siberia. The cold and snow had really signed the winter, but this in-between-period gave nothing exotic or beautiful to the place. People were already talking about the summer, how beautiful and how hot it would be. Well, I guess I will have to experience that another time.
What I am discovering at the moment is the beautiful spots in my own country.
Today my father showed me one: while we were biking through the Betuwe (the region where the fruit grows) we ended up in a hidden little street along the river side, with three old thatched-roofed cottages and lots of flowers. Most people miss this street. They stop at the church nearby to have a look at the tower that is know as the Dutch tower of Pisa.
One of the cottages serves bed and breakfast. A perfect place to hide or get away from everyone and everything.
There is a café further down the road with a few on the river where you can get your morning coffee.
I can show you the way, just let me know!