What the Warmerdam's didn't knew about the Van Leeuwen's

We knew they were coming.

38, or something like that.

We knew they were coming by Beuk bus from Woubrugge.

We knew they would arrive at circa 11am.

We thought they would like coffee at that time.

We did not knew they would prefer beer at that time.

We knew they might like to see Liesbeth's house, just across the street.

We did not knew they would like to see her bedrooms.

We knew they would need to use the toilet.

We did not knew they would need that much paper.

We knew they would like to have some bitterballen.

We did not knew they would think that would be all they would get to eat.

We told them to have as many Frikandellen Speciaal as they wanted.

We did not knew they would only order once.

We did not knew what would happen

when we told them to order as much as they wanted at the Patatkraam

We did not knew they would like beer

at coffee time, before lunch, after lunch, at tea time,

before dinner and after dinner.

We did not knew they had to go shopping for the potluck dinner the next day with 190 Van Leeuwen's.

The Jumbo Supermarket Winterswijk did not knew they would come at 6.30 am to do that shopping.

We do not know if all 38 went inside.

We do know they took cold beer and frikandellen with them in the bus.

We do not know if they did prepair dinner for the next day when they arrived back at Mariahoeve.

The Van Leeuwen's are finding their way !

 The best way to get to know Holland and Dutch people

is to go into a "Bruine Kroeg"

The Van Leeuwen dynasty is arriving in Holland

Tante Paulien and Jackie & Tom have already arrived in our polderland.

Paulien went to Alphen aan de Rijn and Jackie & Tom to Giethoorn.

Paulien has visted the Mariahoeve in Woubrugge on bike

to see what it lookes like.

Well I can say, after this afternoon: it is beautiful.

And it's so easy to get there:

from the highway between Schiphol Airport and Leiden/Den Haag you take exit 6 to Hoogmade, follow the signs "Hoogmade" and there it is:

the Hollandse polder in all it's beauty.

Flat, green, cow's, windmills, dikes and water.

At Hoogmade you follow the sign "Andere Richtingen" (other directions), and after a few curves and a P space, you'll see, on your left,

the drawbridge to the farm Mariahoeve.

The farmer Van der Salm will welcome you

if he is not at work on the fields or in the stables.

The owners farmhouse is in front
and at the back, in the old stable, the reception.

You can park on the farmyard, see, hear and smell the good old farm.

More at the back are the cottages where the Van Leeuwens will stay in, 

with a wonderful view to  the polder and the Wijde Aa.

Enjoy !