"WELCOME TO MY PAGES." dutch_anna's Profile

My husband died in April 2007. He was the love of my life and my traveling companion for more than 50 years.

Backpacking in Europe while we were students, beach holidays with our toddlers, camping with the children and later just the two of us. After our retirement long, wonderful travels: Africa, the USA, and so many dear countries in Western Europe.

Now I don’t travel much anymore. Sometimes just a week with one of my children and their family.

But last year I thought: ”I do have to see New York City.” And I loved every minute of that trip, with my daughter.

Bitten by the travel bug again? I don’t know.
But so many countries and cities are still there and they keep saying: “Come and visit us! We are so beautiful!”

Now first on my list is Venice, Italy!

The true beloveds of this world are in their lover's eyes
lilacs opening, ship lights, school bells, a landscape,
remembered conversations, friends, a child's Sunday,
lost voices, one's favorite suit, autumn and all seasons,
memory, yes, it being the earth and water of existence, memory.
Truman Capote

William Butler Yeats (1865?1939)

The Lake Isle of Innisfree

I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.

And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow,
Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings;
There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow,
And evening full of the linnet's wings.

I will arise and go now, for always night and day
I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore;
While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements gray,
I hear it in the deep heart's core.

P.J.C.Gabri?l:Watercourse near Abcoude". 1878.

Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)
The Netherlands

Water and windmills, greenness, Islets green..
Willows whose Trunks beside the shadows stood
Of their own higher half, and willowy swamp..
Farmhouses that at anchor seem'd--in the inland sky
The fog-transfixing Spires..
Water, wide water, greenness and green banks,
And water seen..

Rosie the Riveter

"Where Have All the Grandmas gone".

In the dim and distant past
When life's tempo wasn't so fast,
Grandma used to rock and knit,
Crochet, tat and baby sit.

When the kids were in a jam,
They could always call on Gram.

But today she's in the gym
Exercising to keep slim.

She's checking the web or surfing the net,
Sending some e-mail or placing a bet.
Nothing seems to stop or block her,
Now that Grandma's off her rocker.

Author unknown.

And who is Rosie the Riveter? Read more about her on my Sacramento page

"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." George Bernard Shaw.*

some travel pictures

Nant, Aveyron.

France

"the smoke, that thunders".

Victoria Falls Zambia

View from Navajo Bridge, Arizona.

Websites about vaccinations:

Traveller's Health(National Center for Infectious diseases)

World Health Organization: about vaccinations and much more

About Malaria

Cape Agoulhas, SA, lighthouse.

Some Like Poetry

Some -
thus not all. Not even the majority of all but the minority.
Not counting schools, where one has to,
and the poets themselves,
there might be two people per thousand.

Like -
but one also likes chicken soup with noodles,
one likes compliments and the color blue,
one likes an old scarf,
one likes having the upper hand,
one likes stroking a dog.

Poetry -
but what is poetry.
Many shaky answers
have been given to this question.
But I don't know and don't know and hold on to it
like to a sustaining railing.

Wislawa Szymborska (b.1923, Poland.
The Nobel Prize in Literature 1996.)

translation by
Regina Grol

Zambia, sunset

MY TRAVEL PAGES

Zambia
Portugal
South-Africa
Durban
Province of Kwazulu- Natal
Cape Town, Garden Route, West Coast
Clanwilliam
Hluhluwe Game Reserve
USA
Arizona
California
Death Valley N.P
Colorado
Idaho
Montana
Nevada
Utah
Wyoming
Morro Bay
Pacific Grove
Joshua Tree National Park
Lee Vining
Lone Pine
Anna (IL)
France
The Netherlands
Amsterdam
Switzerland
China, with old photo's
Bomarzo, Italy
Victoria Falls N.P., Zimbabwe
Sacramento
Laws, CA
New York City, USA

Intro Updated Apr 11, 2011
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Comments (61)

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alza Mar 28, 2013 at 8:34 AM

Hi Dutch Anna! Glad to read you enjoyed NYC & to see it's Venice's turn now. Wishing you lots of enjoyment in this beautiful city. And for every day, best wishes of good health and happiness. lou
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Pawtuxet Sep 16, 2012 at 3:08 PM

Belated happy birthday! Hope you will do something extravagant for yourself.
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DaHongHua Sep 14, 2012 at 6:49 PM

A warm happy birthday greeting from Malaysia. Wish you good luck, many free time and lots of travelling, days, months and years. Cheers.
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balhannah Sep 14, 2012 at 1:35 PM

You have been here a long time and I've only just found your page. Nice to meet you! Love the shrub with the yellow flowers, can you tell me the name of it please? I'm a keen gardener.
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KShezz Sep 14, 2012 at 5:36 AM

Happy Birthday to you!
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olja1234 Sep 14, 2012 at 5:11 AM

Happy Birthday and all the best for you!
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TrendsetterME Sep 14, 2012 at 5:03 AM

Hey Ellen, "Happy Birthday", with all my best wishes .... :)
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thinking Sep 14, 2012 at 2:27 AM

Bonjour mon cher! Greetings and a very special and Happy Birthday to you! I hope to celebrate it with you when I am in the Netherlands. All the best!
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pieter_jan_v Sep 13, 2012 at 10:05 PM

Ellen, een fijne verjaardag. PJ
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was_the_beav Aug 17, 2012 at 5:39 AM

Yes, please.....a drink with a little umbrella. And one for my penguin... miss you, and love you sooooooo much! xoxox