Today marks the last day of my little trip. Day 1, Day 2 and Day 3 have been eventful as ever, that it makes leaving my second home so difficult.
In the hotel this morning we walked past 5 more open bedroom doors. We have officially come to the conclusion that it was a hotel made friendly to people with varied tastes. Most definitely bed-hoppers! Why else would the doors be half ajar? I tried to peak in one – shoot me for my curiosity or whatever but I couldn’t see anything. More to the pitty 😉
Checking out was effortlessly and before I have even left the reception desk and a ‘Thanks for Your Stay’ email was flashing in my hand. Nice touch Bastion Hotel Group! So we jumped on the train into Breda after running down the steps as if our life depended on it. The train we wanted was in the station and we wanted on it – somehow we managed to get it literally by the skin of our teeth. We wondered the streets desperate for food, past the cockerels in the park. From the amount of alcohol consumed on very little food yesterday a large breakfast was required. We sat op de terrace of De Colonie for a good ten minutes and nobody came for our order so we upped and left to the Inspire Coffee Company. I just love it in there! If you ever find yourself in Breda please go and visit!
We shopped and wondered around for a good few hours around Breda. More lipsticks and clothes where nicely purchased too. Hema has become our favourite place. I’ve shopped in stores I probably wouldn’t have visited without Layla. It has been a varied shopping experience and not really an expensive one either!
We wondered the streets a little more after breaking for a chocomel in the intermittent sunshine. Even managed to waste an hour staring at the cyclists and admired their bottoms as well as their bicycles. The weather was perfect for it – sitting on the terrace that, is not ogling peoples bottoms (handy tip: sunglasses hide where your eyes are looking very well ;)).
We circumnavigated the Netherlands back north up to Schiphol. Layla’s iPod provided the soundtrack – we went from Mr Sheeran to rave music to a nice bit of the Mumfords. She likes to keep things varied around here and there was no complaints from me. The journey back wasn’t too bad. It was a lot quicker than the one from the airport on Friday! We stopped for petrol and Layla put that silly plastic glove on. Who does that?! I don’t get it. Its not a Dutch thing either because I couldn’t see anyone else doing it.
In other news…Layla was introduced to her very first Whopper Burger at BK.
I love people watching. Like really love it. My observations today from Schiphol departures…
Everyone is very relaxed. I suppose that’s because they are all going somewhere nice if they are sat in the airport.
The women here, at least the majority of the ones I’ve seen around me, don’t seem to bother too much with makeup. It goes back to my point before about casual being ok all the time. I’ am currently road testing a matte balm and a long lasting gloss from Hema (purchased today). Make up doesn’t seem to be high on the agenda of Dutch girls. It’s not like they need it. They embrace their au natural look. They are comfy in their own style, their own bodies, it’s quite refreshing to see. Its probably easy to be like that when you are all so beautiful – the men too! 
Obviously this is all helped with there tallness, tight legs, firm bottoms from the cycling and of course their diet high in dairy making their skin and hair much better. The women here just seem so comfortable and the men accept that too. I’m putting it down to all of the Dutch Mama’s for bringing up their little boys so well. (Sidenote to all you Dutches – its Mothers Day on the 10th May – don’t forget to treat your Mama!)
The women are strong and independent and the men compliment that. It’s good. I like it. They are just enough of a gentleman to compliment the women. It’s a dynamic that really works in Holland.
The people here are clean too. As we sat in BK everyone cleared their own tables, any rubbish that was accidentally dropped was instantly picked up. Possibly due to the high turn over of people here in Departures every empty chair and table is replaced super quickly. Schiphol is ALWAYS clean though, personally I’ve never seen it a mess. The new departures lounge that they are working on needs some loving tho. I wasn’t too impressed with the wooden pop up shops!
At 20:00 Schiphol stopped. Completely. Everyone stood still, planes didn’t land, radio announcements stopped. Today is Dutch Remembrance Day this year marking its 70th Anniversary. The KLM staff by came from their offices and stood together in a line, heads bowed. Like dolls they stood in line pristinely turned out and all worthy of the prestigious blue twinset. People from all over the world and of every nationality stopped moving and stopped talking. The Last Post was played over the PA and then the silence began. To mark its end the joyous sounds of the Dutch National Anthem rang out all around and the world started moving again. It was a surreal and moving two minutes to be a part of something that is so special to the Dutch and so important to their culture. Similar to our November 11th Remembrance Day in the UK its a patriotic thing, and heartwarming moment to just stop and take note and most of all to remember.
Our last port of call and where I will end this post is in Starbucks. We are ready to board now, suitably fuelled with Coffee and Cinnamon Swirls. We are ready to go. The sun has set in The Netherlands and as I sit here typing all this up I am sad to be leaving but excited for my return in just 3 weeks! I have had a great weekend and I hope if you’ve followed all of my reports about it you will already know that.
A summary of the statistics:
- 400km traveled in and around The Netherlands
- 2 packets of car sweats eaten
- About 5 bottles of wine/Prosecco drank
- 55,351 steps!
- 2 new lipsticks
- 2 new tops
- Pair of Shoes
- A Jip en Janekke book purchased
Holland – a pleasure as always.
Maria Victoria Smith 