We drove away from the cozy town of Enkirch, happy to have had the chance to spend the week there. The final part of our trip was on the horizon - we were really looking forward to the familiar faces of Marieke and Jetta, and getting to know their families. Even though we were entering the last three weeks of our trip, we had a lot to see, and tried to stay present, savoring each experience, and not thinking too much ahead.

Our drive was smooth, the route took us through a corner of Belgium and then into The Netherlands. We drove north to a community built along a dike, near Alkmaar and Berka called Koedijk. We chose this location for our first week because it is close to Bakkum, where Jetta and her family have a camping spot. We planned on meeting up with them a few times during the week.

As we drove towards our house we second guessed the road we were on. It was a deep red color, the surface looking more like a sports court than a road, it ran parallel to the dike, and was wide enough for one and a half cars, with a bike lane on both sides. An oncoming car rushed towards us, and for a second we thought we were driving the wrong way on a one way. The reality was that passing was just possible, and so we continued.

Our home was a renovated brick farm house, with attached barn. The owners renovated the farmhouse first, and then the barn. They live in the barn part and rent out the house. We were welcomed by a mellow, pleasant lady who made us feel at home. She gave us the run down on the house, showed us the shed with two bikes free for us to use. She walked us into the backyard where an above ground pool was available for us, and then through a gate to a slootje (very small canal), where we had access to a small rowboat. Mariah was not sold on the row boat or bikes because a lot of webs needed to be cleaned away. Even our front door was adorned with thick webbing, but once inside it was perfectly clean. By this point, aside from Mariah, we were all enthusiastic about our new location - another unique place with a lot to explore.

We unloaded our bags and decided to drive into Alkmaar, a five minute drive away. Although it was easy to get to, driving in Alkmaar turned out to be frustrating. A lot of bicycle, pedestrian and car congestion, complicated further by endless one way streets. We finally found a parking lot and took to the streets.

We saw people walking around with large paper cones filled with French fries topped with mayo - a treat known as "patat frites". We lined up to get our own, and continued wandering familiarizing ourselves with the area. Each home and shop stood shoulder to shoulder, rooftops and types of brick being the only contrast; giving each building it's own character and sharing clues to when,and by whom it was built. Church bells rang, people meandered enjoying their Saturday - no one looked in a hurry. We were lucky to have arrived on market day. The main cheese market was finished, but many artisans were standing at their tables eager to show us their unique product. French bread and Dutch cheese were our choice, and with those in hand we went home.

The boys prepared the boat and gave "gondola style" rides to Belia and Tim, then to Belia and I.

The slootje was a special place, willow trees lined the shore bending over the water with some of their branches touching the water. Lilly pads floated, boasting showy blossoms; some white, others yellow. Tall grasses, empty back yards, and grazing horses were the backdrop until the sloat split in two directions around a mini island. A mud hen and her young zipped in and out of sight through grass and trees. The mother impatiently called to her babies rushing them along while she warily kept her eyes on us. A bridge came into sight and Belia our "tour guide" had us duck our heads. She explained all the special things that we were seeing, and the boys proudly dug there paddles into the bottom of the slootje and pushed us along. We stopped to visit the horses, we even got out to pet them, and treated them to a few apples. They seemed a little territorial - ears back, jittery and a bit spooked, so we hopped back into our boat and paddled on. The boys made plans to explore in a few more directions the next morning.

We had a chance to visit with the other owner of the house, who shared his wife's easygoing attitude. It was interesting to hear how they changed careers to leave the rat race of a big city life. The home renovation and rental was a huge undertaking, and the details were interesting; architecture is strongly protected in the Netherlands, especially any house fronting a canal. Within all the rules they managed to renovate a beautiful space.

We relaxed in the living room for the evening. TV in the Netherlands is mostly in English, so we had a lot of shows to pick from.