Survival Strijd

Early May we finally managed to support Dorien during her home race in Delft, called Survival Strijd. This is the main event that her club Slopend is organising each year, using the whole University campus to build an obstacle course. Dorien is racing at national level, combining an 8 km run with some 40 obstacles. We are normally in France during this period, but this year we were in The Hague, and followed Dorien around the course. She managed to get second place, after more than an hour of hard racing. It remains impressive what she can do, we wouldn't be able to cross a single obstacle!

Dorien at one of the first obstacles

Wading through water is normally part of a race

The final task: don't touch the water!

You have to be strong!

Almost there...

Namibia revisited

Piet recently went back to Namibia, 2.5 years after his previous visit, with Mary. Although his responsibilities changed last year, Piet is still very much involved in the project, in a more supportive role. The week was filled with meetings, reconnecting with local stakeholders, and a visit to the rig, that drilled two wells offshore.

Piet and two of his colleagues managed to slot in a morning trip to GocheGanas private reserve, for a game drive and lunch. This was only a 30 minute drive from Windhoek, but felt like a whole different world, and a good break from several days of intense work. And watching wildlife never bores!

Giraffes in GocheGanas

Meerkats

Springboks

Zebras with foals

Tour de Hollande

In the last weekend of March piet joined the Tour de Hollande cycling trip, organised by his cycling buddies. The plan was to cycle towards the north and ride the Frisian Eleven Cities tour, and then back to The Hague, in 4 days. This was Piet's first ever multi-day cycling trip, with an average daily distance of 160 km. They stayed in hotels, and the baggage was driven around by one of the kids.

In the end ten MAMIL's (middle aged men in lycra) joined, and by keeping the average speed under control, proper coffee and lunch stops, and special buttocks ointment Piet finished with relative ease. They were very lucky with the weather, it was sunny, with little wind. They cycled through all eleven Frisian cities, all with beautiful centres and canals. And the social and culinary aspects were also important.....

Coffee break in Muiden

Kampen by dawn

Leaving Kampen

Hindeloopen, one of the 11 cities

The route of the 11 cities cycling tour

Lemmer, ice cream stop

Winter in France

End of February we went to France for two weeks, for work and holiday. After many grey, wet and windy weeks in The Hague we woke up to beautiful, crisp winter weather, with bright sunshine, that stayed until the last day. We were able to sit in the garden around lunchtime, have long walks with Pippin, and Piet was even able to cycle a few times.

The first week Piet was working from home, and our nephew Jeroen and his girlfriend Hannah joined for a week of skiing. Mary completed her recovery after surgery in January and spend a lot of time walking Pippin, and building up some stamina again. The second week was real holiday, with more walks, some work in the garden, and a visit to our friends Andre and Irene. Piet even managed two days of skiing, one day in Alpe d'Huez and the other in Les Deux Alpes.

Relaxing after lunch

Ready for a bike ride

The Sarenne slope, Alpe d'Huez

Lac de Buclet

Piet and Pip

On the glacier of Les Deux Alpes

Walking in the vineyards of the Savoie, near Chignin

Walking near Vieille Morte

Epe

In January we had a long weekend in Epe, on the Veluwe. It was pretty standard: picking up some wine on the way, walking with Pippin, mountain biking (Piet), reading and drinking the wine. Below a few pictures.

A squirrel in front of our bungalow

Walking near Epe

Pippin had a great time, with large areas he could roam free

Final pictures of 2021

Below are a few final family pictures from the last few months of 2021. Despite the many Corona restrictions we had a good 2021 and all stayed healthy, and we managed many outdoor activities. And Pippin stimulated us!

Dorien had a few survival runs in the autumn

With Ayla, the dog of Lars' parents

Lars with the neighbour's' donkeys in France

Paula and Dorien working at HKV

Paula is finally signing her MSc diploma

Dorien is running in the dunes with Pippin

On the beach

Pippin is running with Paula

Pippin on the beach, in between rain showers

Pippin is returning a fetch near Zoetermeer

Champagne

After the October trip to Bordeaux and Gigondas there was one outstanding issue regarding the refill of Piet's wine cellar: there were less than 5 bottles Champagne left! To address this Piet, and his friend Frits, did a raid to the Champagne. They left Friday morning, and arrived in the Montagne de Reims region just after lunch. They made appointments with several winemakers, and enjoyed hospitality, a good conversation and of course the Champagnes of Braconnier-Baudot, Louis de Sacy, Barnaut and Tritant. The day was wrapped up in Epernay with dinner in Le Theatre.

The next morning the Cote de Blancs was attacked in similar fashion, with visits to Gimonnet, Hugues Populus and Bouche. They left the area around lunchtime, with the car full of boxes of Champagne. After arriving home early evening Mary and Piet tasted the first bottle of the new harvest!

The selection at Braconnier-Baudot, in Mailly

Barnaut has their shop in Bouzy

Tasting at Pierre Gimonnet in Cuis

Hugues Populus in Grauves

Most houses receive guests, and sell their bottles directly