Kibbeling in Vlissingen

Take a good, close look at this menu. I recognize only three words. I like eating in places like this!

This restaurant on the tip of Holland’s south coast, in the little town of Vlissingen, is where my other very good Dutch friend, Jikke, took me. (I ate kibbeling, which was white fish, battered and deep-fried.)

wonderful Jikke

no Dutch photo album is complete without one of these

lovely old church courtyard

a little odd, this

houseboat

town hall

 

We spent an afternoon exploring these little towns in the south. 

The next morning we hung out in Rotterdam, where Jikke lives. I begged her to go to a real, live Dutch waffle stand, and we did – the only one in the city.

WHY can't we buy waffles on the street in Canada??

 We also toured the city on foot and found some interesting sculptures. (As all good Netherlands residents do, we biked everywhere.)

Rotterdam's Erasmus Bridge in the background

On my last night in the Netherlands, one of Jikke’s good friends invited us and another friend for dinner at his place.

What a feast -- and what an experience in hospitality! Jelle prepared what seemed like a never-ending parade of dishes. And he served each course as attentively as a waiter at the Ritz, minus the attitude. Not to mention I felt like a celebrity, being Canadian and all. The others wanted to know everything.

This combined with some fantastic breakfasts Jikke had warm and waiting in the morning, a heated bag to warm up my bed at night, and a litany of other little, thoughtful gestures, made me maybe the best-hosted guest ever to visit Holland.

For fond memories, especially some fantastic conversations, this country is at the top of my list. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. If only my souvenirs could have been my two wonderful friends Anne and Jikke.