One week of our stay in Holland revolved around the main motovation for the trip - a week's sailing course for Jane on the Frisian lakes based in the little village of Elahuizen. And that in turn was motivated by Jaco, Anne and Tim with whom we got to spend a really great time at Allemansend!

5471 Jane arrived at Schiphol at crack-of-dawn on the Friday. I picked her up at the airport and we set out in the rent-a-car for Friesland. Once we were safely out of the environs of "The Big City" and in open polder land, I pulled off the road to stretch my legs and take a deep breath after the stress of traversing the busy intersections round Amsterdam. Jane who had been navigating (TomTom and maps) took this opportunity for a quick nap

5473 We drove to Oosterzee to meet Jitze and Joltje - went for a walk and took a look at their boat in the harbor just a few yards from their house.

5477 With Jitze and Joltje walking round Oosterzee

5509 Tim showing Jane the ropes.

5513 Jane's boat didn't have an outboard motor, so the first morning they were towed out of harbor.

5594 On return that evening, the boat is tidied up and made shipshape again assisted by Tim and Anne.

5600

5609

5610

5612

5684 We visited the nearby village of Sloten

5692 Jane gets to experience the fate of a village gossip

5702

5715

5728 After a hard day's work...

5729 Topped off with rhubarb schnapps...

5777

5817

5818 The Stuurman issues the instructions...

5927

5931

5951

5962 Thirsty work!

5963 Jitze and Joltje (and the other Jitze and two dogs) came to Elahuisen in their boat and spent the night.

5981 Evening coffee next to where their boat was moored.

5982 Joltje showing Jane snapshots of Annette and Joost when they were young.

6045

6054 The weather got kind of rough later in the week

6055 Dressed for "regen met windkracht vijf"

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