Another PDay

July 20, 2012.  Yes, another PDay.  We really enjoyed this PDay--we spent it with all our Senior Couples with the exception of Elder and Sister Anjewierden who were unable to make the trip.

We all met at Den Helder on the northern tip of the west coast.  We took a ferry over to the first island in the chain of islands that reach up into the North Sea, named Texel. 

 In a small dorpje named Oudeschild.  This is just a small courtyard between two homes.  Actually, a home and an Artist's Studio.

The Artist's Studio is a building with a thatched roof.  This is a view from the interior.  

 We walked down the street and across a highway to the dike.  President is standing on a real Dutch dike.  The water on the right of the picture is higher than the highway and car on the left of the picture.

This is the seaside of the dike.  Cobble stone near the water's edge, a sealed and chipped slop.  The chip and seal looks like how they chip and seal roads back in Utah.  It goes for miles in both directions.  

Every little vijk has a church.
  

Just past the church are the homes.  This is how the Dutch live in a country town.

We drove over to Oosterend.  Here is the harbor.  

Alden took the camera and turned it around and took my picture with the Windmill.  Elder Pankratz was with us.

Down at the harbor looking toward the fishing boats that just came in at 
4:00 am that morning (Friday).

As we got closer, it became obvious how huge those nets on the fishing boats really were.  Notice all and white shirts and suit coats underneath the big beam holding the nets.  Never in America!!  OSHA would never allow anyone under a beam like that without hardhats and a lot of other things.  But the Elders and President really were interested.  Sister Van Koman was down there talking with the former owner while Sister Everton and Sister Salden watch at a safe distance.  However, we were all down near it at some time.  :)

The front end of the fishing boat.

Inside the nets and the front end of the ship.
It was bigger than I thought fishing boats were.

The restaurants in town bought the fresh catch.  Here is a fish food place were they are smoking the fish for today's lunch.

He uses oak wood to smoke the fish.  NOTE:  President spent about a half hour visiting with this man.  We gave him a pass along card, and he told us we would never get him to our church, but he uses our church's website all the time to do genealogy.  Well, all I can say is "The Lord works in very different ways."

The fun thing about the smoked fish, they were shooting some brochure pictures for a new promotion. They needed some people in the background.  Because there were so many of us, they asked us to be the background people who were eating the fish.  They gave us free smoked fish to eat while they did their promo pictures.  

It was hot out of the cooker and it was 
lekker en geweldig!

Street market in the city center at
Den Burg.

Here is city (town) center at Den Koog.

At Den Koog, we walked out to the sand dunes and beaches.  Alden was looking toward home thinking of Lance and the guys taking cows on the mountain Friday.  I am not sure if he is longing for home or longing for the mountain!

In Netherlands, EVERYONE take their summer vacation at the same time.  The month of July.  So, here in Den Koog, there were hundreds of people.  Germans, Danish, Netherlanders.  And this is how they camp at the beach.  

It went on as far as the eye could see.  Families out camping.

We traveled to the northern point of the island, De Cocksdrop to see the lighthouse.  We were late getting there and had only 30 minutes to walk to it, climb up it and get back down and out.  So only the Evertons and Sister Salden were brave enough for a 'fast dash' and went up the lighthouse.

Here are the Sister missionaries:  Left to Right:  Sister De Leeuw, Sister Pankratz, Sister Anderson, Sister Van Komen, Sister Robinson
Sister Salden and Sister Everton are in the lighthouse--see them?

On our way down to the car, we walked past this great 'family' bike.  I told Alden I want one to take back to Flowell.  Not sure if I would put grandkids in it, or let Alden peddle me to church in three years--or both!

Look at the size of that child's seat--they look like they are for dolls.


It was a fun day.  Thanks Missionaries for planning the outing.  The Anderson's and the Salden's are leaving for home in the next 30 days or so.  We love you and you will be sorely missed.