A short holiday with the Russian Bear

The end of February, and a week which is bitterly cold. Spring had already arrived, daffodils, snowdrops and crocuses were in full bloom, as well as the hellebores. 

Even the azalea had tentatively opened a few lilac blossoms. So far the winter had been very mild indeed. But all of a sudden, the Russian Bear invaded our country with a very strong wind from the East freezing our lakes and canals and even the foam of the waves breaking on the shore of our North Sea beaches.

 

I am having a short holiday, a midweek in the province of “Zeeland”, in the uttermost south-west part of Holland. The country is flat and largely consists of farmland. It is more Flemish than Dutch, as it is very near Ghent and Bruges. In fact, it has been cut off for centuries from the rest of our country by the river Schelde, which connects Antwerp with the North Sea. There are some interesting walled, moated and gated old towns here full of history, but the land is empty except for a cancerous growth of holiday parks along the coast behind the dunes. At this time of year, the bungalow parks and holiday camps are deserted, the beaches empty. Going back a 100 years February 28th has never been as cold as today. In some places people can skate on canals and shallow lakes. But not everywhere is the ice thick enough, because of the wind which prevents the water from freezing over. 

 

 Sluis, the Belfort. The only Dutch town with a Belfort. The museum is closed but we look at the interesting bell tower from a cafe window.

We visit Sluis, an interesting walled town, but it is so cold that we quickly find a café where we can warm ourselves with a hot drinks. Like the beach cafes, the museum is closed. We decide to come back again one day during balmier weather. 

Van Dale, life long schoolmaster and historian in Sluis, to whom we own our famous dictionary, the "Dikke van Dale"

 The smallest "city" in the Netherlands,  St. Anna ter Muiden just outside Sluis, with a population of some 50 people. The former town hall is for sale.

 

We have gone out several times for walks along the beach - after all the dog needs her walk three times a day - , wrapped up very thickly in layers of woollen jumpers, vests, cardigans, with a down jacket on top. Nobody cares what he or she looks like, as long as it is warm, or at least keeps the cold at bay. Hoods over woollen hats, scarves, fur lined gloves and boots, it is all there. To walk to the beach we first have to negotiate a long dike which is completely exposed to the elements. Taking pictures needs courage and determination, as one’s hand gets painful and numb in no time at all. The beach is mostly deserted. Unfortunately, most beach cafes are closed. Officially they are not, but since there is hardly any custom, they don’t think it is worthwhile to open. And if at all, it is always in the weekends. But we are here for a midweek, so we encounter many closed doors. It is so cold that the foam of the waves at the flood line immediately changes into ice. In more sheltered spots where the wind can’t whip the water, the sea is sluggish, consisting of ice crystals. It looks like soup or porridge. 

 

 Some impressions of the beach on the cold and sunny days. 

above: The town of Flushing on he other side of the river Schelde

 

However, the clear sky is also beautiful, colours are brighter in the sun which is still very low in the sky, casting interesting patterns on the beach where rows of wooden poles reach out into the water to break the waves. 

 

 

 

 

 

The sky at night is studded with stars. But who would like to stand outside, gazing at the sky, in the dark, in a marrow chilling, icy wind? Perhaps our winter of 2017-2018 will only last one full week, but it is a real winter if ever there was one. A week of feverish dreams, of fantasies about skating long tours on natural ice, across lakes and canals, drinking hot chocolate on makeshift benches in makeshift tents on the ice or eating hot pea soup. And making friends with fellow skaters, whatever their background or age, all united by this Dutch skating virus.

 Wide skies and empty lands

 

 

 Sunsets and evening skies

 

 And very stormy a day later