July 9:

Janie and Dan have brought great weather with them. We ate breakfast outside in the garden. 

Jose and Hans invited us to go out with them: first to play "midget golf" and then for a pancake lunch at Amelisweerd en Rhijnauwen, outside of Utrecht.

The golf course was in Lage Vuursche in the woods, as is everything else in that lovely village. 



Its composed of three 18 hole courses that meander through wooded gardens interspersed with ponds and waterfalls. Instead of funny mechanical animals and artificial devices, the Dutch have used the natural environment to decorate their courses. Very effective and added to a pleasant experience.

And lots of places to sit and wait to play the next hole including this little hut - maybe for protection from the rain, but not today.















The holes were challenging enough to generate lots of laughs. And then, there were a few interesting items placed around the toilets: Harry Potter and a little boy filling a bucket.















After golfing, we followed Hans and Jose to the lovely Mansion and gardens along a canal near the Utrecht University.












These kids were jumping off the bridge.


We walked through what must have been stables, a short walk through the woods and to the restaurant with most seating outside under the trees and beside the canal. We were able to find a vacant table close to the water.

The meal was mostly pancakes and one gigantic chicken salad. Hans and Jose had half savory and half sweet pancakes: a complete lunch.

Arriving back at the car, we were met with a very unpleasant surprise: A 370 euro parking ticket. I had parked in a handicapped space because Dan had a handicap sticker he had brought from the States and was told it would be honored. This put a real damper on what had been the perfect day.

Back at the house, Dan talked to Hans and also Liesbeth (the lawyer) about what could be done. I think the answer is that the fine must be paid and then it can be appealed. Dan has all of the necessary documents that Liesbeth told him to collect and on Monday he will call the US Consulate to see what can be done about this.

Back in May, we received a parking ticket for 90 euros. Don't mess with these Dutch, they make you pay.

Later in the evening, Noor came over and Linda and I went for a walk with her on her new "skate shoes".



Some of the way I pulled her and some of the way she pulled me.



When we returned to the house mom and dad were coming to get Noor. We chatted and said good night.

A nice ending to a mostly lovely day.