Slopend

When Dorien visited the intro days at Delft University in August she was looking for a sports club that allowed her to build on her free running skills, but also had an outdoor element (with summers in France in mind!). In the end there were two options: the Alpine climbing club, and Slopend, an outdoor-survival club. As the first one was attached to a traditional student fraternity (think social pressure and drinking) she started with Slopend, and fitted straight in. They basically have training twice a week, working on fitness and survival skills, mainly on manmade obstacle courses. In general it has similarities with the army, but then in a fun way. As Dorien is strong and fit she quickly started training with the inner circle, which now has become her social life in Delft. 

She has participated in several events: The initiation and survival weekend was in the Belgian Ardennes (night time walk, sleeping outside, making your own fire, skin your rabbit, canoeing etc.). Dorien also participated in a daylong race that included running, mountain biking and canoeing, which you had to complete as a duo. Subsequently she helped organising a training weekend (with similar elements) in the Veluwe in early December (again no tents!). To close off the first part of the season she participated in a classic survival run in Dinxperlo, where they had to complete a track of 7 km, with many obstacles (see pictures below). 

So, like Paula with her rowing, Dorien's life has been simplified to 4 elements: eating, sleeping, studying and Slopend! And there are many plans for the summer as well!

 One of the obstacles in Dinxperlo

Dorien (right) getting over the next one 

This is tough - going upwards 

Archery was also part of the race 

Happy at the start

Montevideo (II)

Piet went to Montevideo for a second time, for a set of meetings with the government. It was an uneventful trip, and it marked the end of a busy year, full of travel. Like always Piet took his small camera and made some pictures of the city.

 View over Montevideo from the hotel

 Playa de Los Pocitos - the sign

 Yacht Club Uruguayo

 The Montevideo sign at sunset

Playa de Los Pocitos

A bonus picture: Beau and Mary on the beach

Namibia: Windhoek and Erindi

Piet had to go to Namibia again for a number of government meetings and teaching sessions. He is working on this project with Dennis, 'our man in Windhoek'; who organised everything for this week. They are normally in contact on a daily basis by email, phone or online communicator and it is always good to spend time 'face-to-face' in the same office.

This time Piet came a day early and took the opportunity to visit the Erindi Game Reserve, a large area (700 km2) that is maintained as a wild park and conservatory. Piet rented a small car at the airport, and drove 3 hours to the Old Traders Lodge, not realising that the last 65 km were off-road. Luckily these roads were in reasonable shape, and once in the Reserve there was a 30 km speed limit to avoid scaring the animals. On arrival Piet went straight on a game drive through a very dry landscape. Namibia is suffering from one of the worst droughts in the last century, and that was clearly visible. Normally the summer (during our winter) is the rainy season, but there has been very little rain. In the Reserve there are a number of manmade waterholes where some of the animals gathered. In addition extra grass is supplied to assure that not all animals die. The game drive was mainly a pleasant tour of the Reserve, without seeing a lot of wildlife. After dinner and a night's sleep there was a second, early morning game drive in another part of the area. Jointly with the trip in and out Piet spotted wildebeests, gazelles, lions, rhino's, giraffes, elephants and a rare leopard. Although a bit rushed it felt like a true safari. Mary wants to join next time!

This was followed by a week of hard work, with many meetings and presentations, but also with time to enjoy Windhoek food (oryx steak!) and South African wines.

Erindi: an impala drinking from a waterhole

Erindi: a giraffe eating from a thorny tree

Erindi: a lion pair

 Erindi: a rare leopard

Erindi: an elephant eating extra grass and fodder 

Erindi: a springbok gazelle

Erindi: African wild dogs

 A typical Namibian cattle farm - nothing to eat

Christus Kirche, one of the few Windhoek landmarks

Piet teaching at the University of Namibia


Sunset over Windhoek

Gent

Piet and Mary joined his sisters and partners for an enjoyable weekend in Gent, one of the main cities in Belgium. The plan was to meet up with nephews Bart and Jeroen, who moved to Gent in September to start their studies. However, they decided to have a boys-only weekend at Piet's sister's house in Turnhout, so there were just 6 'old' people doing the tourist spots around this historic town.

We visited Gravensteen, a castle in the centre of town, and did a long walk (also passing Jeroen's kot), in grey, cold and windy autumn weather. After dinner we did the 'town by light' night walk, with the most important buildings and streets lit. Unfortunately the famous beer bar De Dulle Griet was too busy for us: next time!

The next day we climbed the Belfort tower, followed by another rainy walk through town and lunch at an alternative restaurant. With plans for next get togethers at Christmas and Whitsun discussed (and to be agreed) we drove back to The Hague, to Dorien and Beau.

Inside Gravensteen

Gravensteen, the castle in the centre of Gent

It was a grey and cold day

Gent by night: river Leie

 A rare appearance of the sun on Korenmarkt

Autumn holiday

This year we went on our autumn holiday to France without kids. At university there is no break between summer and Christmas, so Piet and Mary drove down together, with a trailer (but no horse!). Mary had bought a second hand couch to replace the two old ones in our house, and it was far too large to transport in the car. So Mary borrowed a flat trailer from her brother (used to transport his motorbike) instead of the horse trailer.

The week was spend mainly in the garden, getting it ready for winter. We mowed the lawn, cleaned the ditches, and did some work in our little swamp forest. Piet also took the opportunity to do a few bike rides, including a cycle up Alpe d'Huez. The weather was fine, sunny and relatively cold, and there was already some snow higher up in the mountains. 

We also made a trip south towards Gigondas where we met with Frits, who was on his yearly wine trip in the Rhone valley. We visited the historic town of Vaison la Romaine, and then spend an afternoon visiting several wineries to stock up on reds from Beaume de Venice and Gigondas appellations. We had an excellent meal in the evening, and the next morning we did a nice hike in the Dentelles de Montmirail. Unfortunately these two days were overcast and very grey and the pictures of the grapevines in autumn colours with the Dentelles (teeth in French) in the background don't do justice to the stunning reality. After lunch and a last wine stop we drove back to the house to enjoy the last few days, with our own (excellent) red wine in the evening!

Piet is riding his book in the garden

Vaison la Romaine, the medieval part of town

Piet is walking in the narrow streets of Vaison

Piet and Frits are hauling their harvest from Domaine de Durban

Mary is walking in the vineyards of the Dentelles de Montmirail

An overcast, grey day in the Dentelles

The Dentelles is a prime rock climbing area

The village of Oulles in autumn colours

More rowing

This rowing season Paula opted for a different boat. In her first season she rowed with a ladies 4, single oar boat, and last season with the ladies 8, single oar boat. She is now training in a smaller boat for 2 ladies, with double oars. This is called 'sculling'. Paula is competing for a place in the racing boats of the club, and had her first trial race of the season, with the evidence shown below. In addition she has moved to a new room, with some of her rowing friends.

Paula racing in Hilversum

Montevideo

Due to a reorganisation and the merger with British Gas Piet and his team landed another project, this time a number of concessions offshore Uruguay. Part of his new tasks are a number of engagements with the Uruguayan government, to discuss progress and forward looking plans. With two colleagues he flew to the capital Montevideo, and stayed there for 3 days. It is quite a boring place, with mainly modern buildings, and little obvious history. The city is well organised and very save, but certainly not a tourist destination; the apparently nice beaches are located on the wide Plata river, with brown, muddy water. The highlights were the excellent wine and food, and the very friendly people in the Shell office and the government. Below are some pictures to give an impression.

Yacht Club Uruguayo 

Playa de Los Pocitos in the early morning light

Plaza Independencia

Playa de Los Pocitos

Kite surfing on Playa Malvin

Isla de las Gaviotas

View on Montevideo from Punta Carretas

Punta Carretas

No more school

A few weeks ago Dorien received her IB diploma, which was the final school event for all of us. As the exams, taken in May, are internationally marked results were not known until July, when most of the kids were on holiday. Therefore the school organises the diploma ceremony in September, which also acts as a reunion of a now scattered year group. As you can imagine the kids are spread out over a large number of universities in several countries, and most of them, like Dorien, have started their studies already. Dorien has done very well, received her bilingual English-Dutch diploma, and has started her civil engineering studies with enthousiam.

 Dorien and Mary

 Dorien and friends; Roos is standing next to her

 Dorien is receiving her IB diploma from her mentor

Traditional hat throwing of the Year of 2016

From Cape Town to Merksplas

Piet had another trip to Cape Town for his South Africa project. He presented a technical paper at a very large geological conference and also met with his counterparts representing the South African government. He had the opportunity to see a few (former) colleagues, but in general the situation in South Africa is going down, mainly due to the uncertainties created by the government, which has deteriorated the business environment. Like always he enjoyed his time in Cape Town, which is a pleasant city you can cover easily by foot, with beautiful scenery and excellent food and wine!

The day after his return we went to Belgium to see our nephew Max in an official bike race for his age category. This was in the village of Merksplas, where a small circuit of 4.5 km was arranged on public roads, for a 60 km race. The real advantage was that we saw the cyclists pass every 8 minutes. Max did quite well in the main peloton, but they were taken out of the race after they were too far behind the leading group, as the police wanted to be able to control the roads. Despite this the average speed was above 35 km/hour, which is a lot faster than Piet and his friends on their weekend rides!

 View on Table Mountain from the Waterfront

The Company's Garden, with the statue of Cecil Rhodes 

Lion's Head, with clouds coming over Table Mountain

 Max and his group trying to get closer to the leaders

Racing past the local pub in Merksplas