Monday, May 21, 2012

Holland 1: The Hague

When I was three, my family moved to The Hague, which is the capital of The Netherlands. We lived there for three years, and for about 12 glorious years after we moved back to the States, I had some really great material for the "fun fact" every person should carry around in their back pocket: I lived in Holland and have been to almost every country in Western Europe. 

Eventually I got lapped. My friends started doing foreign exchange programs. Month long backpacking trips across Europe. Biking tours of South America. Teaching English in China. Basically, I had to get a new fact. Good thing I'm left handed and Jewish.

The first leg of our Holland trip was spent in The Hague. We explored the city by bike and visited my former house, which is on the same street as my preschool and across the street from gorgeous dunes that border the beach and the North Sea. 


{1: the beach, 2: the dunes, 3: my street}





I remember a lot of things about my neighborhood: leaving empty wooden shoes out on Christmas Eve for Sinter Klaas to fill with presents (apparently he doesn't discriminate), getting stung by a bee in our back alley, the fact that you turned right to get from my house to preschool. But I cannot for the life of me remember there being a beach. I don't particularly love the beach now... apparently it's never impressed me. 



Some other pictures from the Hague:











15 comments:

  1. that is so cool that you lived there when you were little and traveled around Europe! Corey and I have talked about moving back when our kids are younger-ish (under 10) to give them that experience - we think it would be amazing for them!

    we visited the hague for the first time this weekend and were in love with how charming and clean it was! we didn't make it to the beach - your photos are beautiful, we'll definitely have to go back and do that :)

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  2. I'm so jealous! Although I was born and spent 6 years in Italy, we never traveled around Europe while we were there. We have so much family in Italy that when we go back it's hard to get away and do any traveling. I'm not complaining, though.

    I love going back to old stomping grounds and the fact that you have that before/after picture is awesome. I can totally relate to the feeling of remembering and feeling those memories come back. I experience that when we go to Italy and walk around in our old town - it's so nostalgic, I love it.

    Love all the pictures! Looks like a beautiful place and now it's put on my "must visit" list :)

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  3. you looked really pretty in those photos!

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    2. Aw,thanks! Just like Cameron Diaz, right?

      (For anyone reading this, her boyfriend thinks I look like Cameron Diaz. I... don't.)

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  4. Beautiful! How fun to go back and visit. I can't believe you don't remember there being a beach!

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    1. I do kind of remember there being a pond across the street. Maybe my brain was confusing bodies of water??

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  5. What a fun fact to have in your pocket! I love learning small tidbits like this about bloggers :) Who knew?

    Lovely pictures!

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  6. Love this! Your photographs are so pretty. My family lived in Brussels for almost 3 years and I've thought of how much fun it would be to go back and see the areas I lived in as a child through my more adult eyes. I can also sympathize with the whole "getting lapped" thing once friends started traveling and doing foreign exchanges!

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    1. Oh you should definitely go back!! How old were you in Brussels? We actually had a side trip to Belgium planned while we were in Holland but at the last minute decided to keep things simple. I think I would have loved it, though!

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  7. I never knew this about you! My college boyfriend was Dutch but grew up all over the world (Dad is in oil) and when we backpacked Europe his family was back living in den Haag so we stayed there for a week! so pretty!

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    1. You are so fancy using the Dutch spelling. Now I feel like I should go back and change it in my post!

      We ended up in Holland because of oil, too. OMG maybe my dad knew his dad...

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  8. I am so jealous of you right now. So jealous.

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    1. haha don't be jealous of me.. I am currently waiting for time to pass in a house that has nothing in it but copious amounts of dog hair, scattered boxes, and a jar of peanut butter. Maybe last week you could have been jealous of me... but no longer! :)

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  9. OH my goodness, how cool! I love seeing all these pics. How fun to visit your childhood home :) I love that you don't even remember the beach... hilarious! Thanks for sharing your gorgeous pics and old school photo :)

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