Limburg 4Days Marches — Fun Fair and Dinner with Friends

You might recall me pointing out that Limburg in the South is a Burgundian province...

And yes, it very much IS!

They know how to celebrate.

So join me for a FUN day in Limburg...

Ellie prepared us a yummy Mushroom Soup for early lunch, so we would have something in our stomach...

By the way, it was through Ellie that I FIRST got introduced to mushrooms as her Dad had three small mushroom houses and I helped them with harvesting, if needed.

At least Ellie is mentioned by me in the preface of our book: modern mushroom growing 2020 harvesting

Highlighted: I changed, mainly due to my best friend's influence. Her Dad had a small mushroom farm and sometimes I helped them out.

After our soup, we drove to Venray where the 4Days Marches would end.

Elvira and Bob's two boys had walked the 10 km and 5 km; each according to their age.

Well, we 70+ girls found us a chair on a terras in front of a Turkish restaurant where we ordered a hot tea.

Yes, wearing hats today with my Escada outfit...

Both of us with hats...

Ellie and I were in a happy mood with all the music from the marching bands.

Bob, as well as Elvira, had volunteered to walk along with the little ones for these successive 4Days Marches.

The weather was perfect!

The eldest one, kind of collapsing after completing his 10 km!

His younger brother also called it QUITS for his 5 km and both are now more interested in the sweet treat from Grandma Ellie...

Wearing proudly their medal for completion!

Just like to share some culture from our Province: THE HISTORY OF FUNFAIR: 5 THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW←click link

DID YOU KNOW...

The fair was born in the Catholic Church? An annual fair was organized during a consecration. There was then talk about 'the Church Mass'. 

The first Dutch fair was in 1023...

Fair and patron saint—History in Limburg, The Netherlands←click link

Fairs have been created to commemorate the foundation of a Church. The first mass, usually provided by the bishop, was then commemorated, this is where the word fair comes from. 

Well, the town where Elvira and Bob live, there was the ANNUAL FUN FAIR...

At the same time it also was going on in the town where son Tristan and Sonja live...

Off we went, walking to the action—which was not far away!

The eldest son wanted to try this attraction.

ALL kids were so happy as for two years due to COVID, there was NO FUN FAIR...

Of course a Cotton Candy had to be tried... turned out to be way too large!

We smashed it into two plastic cups that got taped together by a friendly waiter, for taking home.

We met with other friends around 18:00 at Horst World Kitchen

We actually did not take any photos, and I forgot also my first plate.

This was my second, when I went back for some more sushi to be eaten with chopsticks, as this was healthy for me; no salt added.

Two days later we went to the Fun Fair in Ellie's present home town of Sevenum, where their son also resides.

Absolutely gorgeous weather!

The square near the Saint Fabian and Sebastian's Church is always used for setting up the fun fair.

Also tall linden trees provided shade.

Linden blossoms

Linden blossoms got used during WWII as a substitute for tobacco...

Many lessons to be taught to the children...

Cousins getting along very well!

Soft nougat block that I always loved, and so did Mom, brought her always one back from a Fun Fair I'd been to.

OLS monument met De Zes van Zaerum

OLS = Oud Limburgs Schuttersfeest

~

OLS monument with The Six of Sevenum

OLS stands for Old Limburgs' Archers' Guild (all from medieval times!)

Weej zeen os in Zaerum

Ter herinnering aan het OLS 2019

~ 

We see us in Sevenum

In memory of the OLS 2019

OLS 2019 Sevenum←click link

To get an idea about these medieval festivities from Limburg in Belgium and The Netherlands, click this link for video: OLS 2019 Defilé van Oud Limburgs Schutters Feest 2019***

Oh, Elvira had to get into this Fun Fair attraction with her eldest...

It is so high into the air!

Hope you learned a little bit about the rich culture of Limburg and why things are being celebrated still today.

Stay tuned for more...

Related links:

Visiting Castle Gardens Arcen with Friend Ellie | previous post by me

Food for Body and Soul in Limburg | previous post by me

Walking in Limburg in Beautiful Nature | previous post by me

Limburg — The Emotional Part | previous post by me

In Limburg with Friends | previous post by me

Flying on Delta Premium Select–Savannah to Amsterdam | previous post by me

Back Home from my 67th Trip to Limburg in The Netherlands | previous post by me

{What YOU should LOOK for when Buying Fresh Mushrooms} | previous post by me

Visiting Castle Gardens Arcen with Friend Ellie

What to do on a beautiful sunny day?

First we did cross the River Meuse by ferry from Lottum to Arcen

Pieter once used to live in Arcen at Op de Hor 2, and he crossed it daily, that was around 1958.

At the River Meuse...

It sure was beautiful  weather and we visited Castle Gardens Arcen... or Kasteeltuinen in Arcen ←click link

Ellie is sitting near the entrance, crossing the moat to the Castle.

Huge old Chestnut Tree and Castle

The history of Castle Arcen.

A 17th century castle built in the Baroque period.

Also this got destroyed in the 80-year war (when the Spaniards occupied The Netherlands) and rebuild later.

And yes, Ellie and I were there during the annual Rose Festival... A DREAM as I love roses!

Surprise, near the entrance was a huge Sequoia tree.

We had to wait for our guide to join the group around 1:30 PM

Time for just 'hanging' around...

My Partner–in–Crime Ellie...

HET KOETSHUIS = THE COACH HOUSE and it got built around 1763

Rose Garden or Rosarium and ALL FRAGRANT ONES!!!

We were already on the move with our guide, but still could hear the soprano Maja van 't Oever and bass Jan Alofs in the Rose Opera ←click link.

On all five days of the Rose Festival there was this rose opera...

Ellie captured me, while seated in the Rose Garden in partial shade for doing video WhatsApp with Pieter at 14:00 Dutch time = 8:00 Georgia/US time...

Yes, keeping our Blissful Relationship alive across the 8,000 km that separated us.

Fragrant climbing roses...

Ellie overlooking the moat

And me peeking out over the beech hedge (Carpinus betulus) over the moat...

Berceau 

The Rosarium is surrounded by a berceau. A walking path covered by a foliage vault. Berceaus were very popular with the lords of the castle in the 18th century. In addition to its architectural value, it als had a function: browning was out of the question for the nobility.

And yes, in my Province Limburg there are LOTS of French words in the language, left from the French ruling period...

Our guide captured both of us standing under this foliage vault or 'berceau'.

This picture gives an even better view of the entire berceau!

Tree Bridge — artistic design in concrete!

Kasteeltuinen Arcen – Rosarium ←click for 1:32 min. video

After climbing the stairs in this Tree Bridge, view over Rosarium

Zoomed in view over Rosarium

Happy WeFie of Ellie and me...

Beautiful garden with waterfall

Birdhouse in an old shoe...

Dogwoods blooming

Exposition with ROSES as we visited during the 2022 Rose Festival from June 9 to 13.

Those gardens are endless and such a variety!

Thai fisher home in the Kasteeltuinen Arcen – Oosterse Watertuin ←click for 1:35 min video about Far East Watergarden

With bamboo pipes flooding of Indonesian Sawah (not with rice but just grass)

Time for a tea break!

There was a demonstration for flower arrangements that could be purchased for taking away.

Swan in the moat, watching the feeding outlet where people can purchase some amount of food.

A big carp was hanging out there as well!

Arcen Kasteeltuinen—Castle Gardens Arcen 4.7 km or 2.9 miles

That was quite a lot of walking and the top shows the parking area.

These 35 acres of Gardens are a DREAM...

See also: Luchtbeelden Kasteeltuinen Arcen ←click for 1:13 min short video with aerial view.

0:09 / 1:13

Back by Ferry from Lomm to Lottum, which Church is visible on the other side of the River Meuse...

A wonderful day! 

Stay tuned for more...

Related links:

Food for Body and Soul in Limburg | previous post by me

Walking in Limburg in Beautiful Nature | previous post by me

Limburg — The Emotional Part | previous post by me

In Limburg with Friends | previous post by me

Flying on Delta Premium Select–Savannah to Amsterdam | previous post by me

Back Home from my 67th Trip to Limburg in The Netherlands | previous post by me

Husband Pieter's 1994, 4th of July Speech

 About time for sharing this special speech by husband Pieter, delivered on the 4th of July at the Dublin stadion before fireworks.

If watching video click on CC Closed Caption!Pieter has written several speeches in his life time and he spoke at The International Society for Mushroom Science (ISMS) Congress numerous times. Always in a foreign language though...~

The 4th of July 1994

Thanks for the kind introduction; now you know almost all about the two of us. 

For the introduction of a speaker a typical question always is, what is exactly your title?

In a certain booklet we found that there is actually no prouder title than to be an American Citizen. 

Although the weather is not cooperating too well, today we have something really important to celebrate as you all know we celebrate Uncle Sam's 218th Birthday, the birth of this great nation.

In the introduction, you have heard that we are new Americans, although we came to this country already in 1983.

My wife's love–affair with the United States started in April of 1983; her very first visit to the New World.

Some Campbell Soup people taught her at that time some history by visiting Rockford (Grand Rapids), Michigan, where President Ford grew up. They thought maybe she was homesick and thus they brought her to Holland in Michigan. 

She was not homesick but just absorbing all she could about this fascinating New World. 

One of the highlights was the visit to Chestnut Street in Philadelphia; to the Independence Hall—the home of the Liberty Bell, a shrine of Patriotism for all Americans.

There we learned more about Life with a capital 'L' and also about Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. 

The next day we flew to Dublin, Georgia and there we fell deeper and deeper in love with the New World. 

So, in August of 1983, we came to live here.

This was Our Pursuit of Happiness.

Last year we got our American Citizenship and since then we can say: we are Dutch by birth and Americans by choice, and we are proud of both. 

There are a couple of reasons for that pride. Maybe you didn't know, but the Dutch, of any nation, have the longest uninterrupted friendly relationship with the U.S. and for sure we like to keep it that way.

It was on November 16 in 1776, that the Fort on the Dutch Island of St. Eustatius in the Caribbean returned the salute from the American warship Andrew Doria, as it entered the harbor. 

 This was the first salute by a foreign power to the flag of the United States of America. 

As the history books say: this was a very courageous action by the Dutch, and it enhanced the diplomatic credibility of the United States of America. 

It also gave a strong boost to the moral of the revolutionary troops.

So, today it is 218 years ago that the U.S. has been founded.

In the Dutch tradition, Birthdays always are important events, often celebrated with an all–day open house, birthday gifts etc.

A good question, not only for us but for all immigrants could be: 'Why did you come to the U.S.?

What did we expect to find here what we eventually didn't have in the country where we lived before? 

Although a lot of things have changed since then, the answer will be more or less identical to what brought the founding fathers to this of the world over 200 years ago.

The most important reason for them was the freedom and the space to live in the broadest sense.

The freedom to believe in God in different ways; the freedom to have your own opinion, the opportunity to develop yourself up to the limits etc. 

On this Birthday we should never forget that the Founding Fathers, and after them numerous immigrants, have for sure not chosen the easiest way. They didn't find a paradise; they just found a place with almost unlimited opportunities, but they had to be explored. 

Very important also is that their Freedom was based on a STRONG MORAL AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.

That, in combination with hard work, made this country into what it is today; in our opinion the best country to live in.

We have a number of good reasons to make this statement.

As you perhaps know, or picked up from the introduction, for our job we traveled and still do, all over the world and lived in several countries.

We lived in Dublin, Georgia from 1983 through 1988 and after that in Italy and Indonesia.

We more and more discovered what a great country the U.S. is to live in; we got homesick and looked for every opportunity to return.

With O'Henry we can say, "You can't appreciate home 'till yu've left it... or old glory 'till you see it hanging on a broomstick on the shanty of a consul in a foreign town."

We think Americans in general don't realize how blessed they are, too many things we just take for granted. 

Especially the younger generation should realize that it hasn't been always this good, just travel the world and find out how spoiled in fact we are.

As the Founding Fathers long time ago, we've found our real happiness in this country. 

We often have to answer the question why we've chosen to live in America. 

We think we are able to give a reasonable answer because we can compare.

Our standard answer to that question is: The U.S. is for sure not paradise and not the ideal society because it is built up by some 250 million human beings. But traveling over the world, we can assure you that you will have a hard time to find a better place to live. Therefore, we have good reasons to be thankful and to celebrate the Birthday of this great nation. 

Like in the Dutch tradition, we should not come to a Birthday party with empty hands; one has to carry a gift.

What kind of a gift could we come up with for the Birthday of our country?

The most appropriate gift in our opinion would be that we promise to contribute our share in what the Founding Fathers once started.

They worked hard to develop this country, made it prosperous and a better place to live for everybody. They installed and maintained high moral values, based on a strong believe in God.

They've shown the world that they could handle their freedom.

Our forefathers didn't contribute frivolous gifts to this country.

So, let's celebrate this Birthday of our nation not only with a spectacular firework but let us wrap up a big box for Uncle Sam, containing:

A huge amount of humility, a lot of tolerance, respect for each other and patience, the most of integrity and compassion and a strong will to share freely with others.

Thank you Founding Fathers!

Happy Birthday Uncle Sam, we love this country.

May God bless this nation and all of us.

~
Happy 247th Independence Day!

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Related links:{December 30, 1993 U.S. flag flown over U.S. Capitol for both of us!} | previous post by me {The Dutch 1st to Salute to the Flag of The United States in 1776} | previous post by me{4th of July Speech given by my husband Pieter} | previous post by me