Winifred Wikkeling

We have always known that we prefer things.. a touch cleaner than most. We recoil in dismay at what others barely notice. It’s best not to describe our routine when using public bathrooms. Thus we suffer a bit from the relentless contact of strange hands with our food. No tissue paper in sight at any bakery, no gloves to handle poultry or fish, soiled hands dig greedily into piles of fruits and vegetables, zucht…These moments force us to close our eyes and take a breath. Moments that require us to liberate our minds from the spoiled experience and focus on the things that do continue to please – fresh squeezed orange juice and compelling cappuccinos everywhere. We cope….

We found it difficult to avert

our eyes once confronted with

this image of

fisherman’s wives awaiting the return

of husbands who might forever

be lost at sea

Gejaagd door de wind by Maarten Schets

of course,

we wanted more

of course,

we went to Enkhuizen

so that we might

re-discover

oud Nederland

by way

of

experiencing

‘Gejaagd door de Wind’

a sort of

treasure hunt

which caused us

to feel some hesitation

when first,

we were led here..

..and surprised us

when we

landed here

And as we drew closer to

the vissersvrouwen

we felt quietly

overwhelmed

by this celebration

of Dutch traditional clothing

and delighted

by every

revelation

Hats by Elizabeth van der Helm

of just

how glamorous

a fish wife

can be…

The other day,

we saw

this

Christian Louboutin f/w 09

Then,

we saw

this

Christian Louboutin f/w 09

But we could scarcely

contain ourselves,

over this

Christian Louboutin f/w 09

Via Yatzer

We loved that,

we could then,

wander over

here

Rijksmuseum

And spend sometime,

marveling over

the likes of this

Stilleven met bloemen by Balthasar van der Ast

refreshing ourselves

on

why

Stilleven met bloemen by Hans Bollongier

this was

the

Golden Age

Stilleven met zilveren schenkkan by Willem Kalf

and

how

this

De compagnie van Frans Banning Cocq by Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn

Via Rijksmuseum

still takes

our breath

away…

Prinsengracht

There are these moments, innocent, never planned, that remind us

in the clearest way, why we yearned to return. Moments that, despite their

very simplicity, turn our stomachs aflutter. Moments when we realize

we had been searching for the taste that would fill us

with a certain kind of joy,

the kind only to be had from the first bite of ontbijtkoek,

the first dip of our vlaamse frites in mayonaise

or dropping that first fatty haring on our tongues.

And then there are moments that make us smile a bit mischievously to ourselves,

filling us with girlish laughter inside. Like being ferried across town by fiets,

our lovely friend pedaling from one gracht to the next over its arched bridges,

we riding in back, sitting sideways, ankles crossed,

clutch clasped casually under our arm,

while our hair plays a minuet in the cool evening breeze.

Rider and passenger each clad in 4 inch heels.

This must be the place.

Ontbijtkoek

Tulip Fields Holland

Via 2 or 3 things I know

Home is where I want to be
Pick me up and turn me round
….
Feet on the ground
Head in the sky
It’s ok I know nothing’s wrong . . nothing

Home – is where I want to be
But I guess I’m already there
……

I can’t tell one from another
Did I find you, or you find me?
There was a time before we were born
If someone asks, this is where I’ll be . . . where I’ll be

…..

I’m just an animal looking for a home
Share the same space for a minute or two
And you love me till my heart stops
Love me till I’m dead
Eyes that light up, eyes look through you
Cover up the blank spots
Hit me on the head Ah ooh…

~Talking Heads

Theatre Spijkenisse by UNStudio

Contemporary architecture frequently leaves us wanting. We find ourselves bored by an excess of glass and the intrusion of angles and curves intended merely to push the boundaries of technology, rather than those of good taste, comfort, beauty. We find ourselves desperate to escape the global eliptical assault the Zaha Hadids have inflicted upon us. We do not necessarily find Theatre Spijkenisse to be a clear exception but we are warm and fuzzy all over because it’s Spijkenisse!! Spijkenisse is where we lived in Holland before embarking on our journey to America. Spijkenisse is where we had our first boyfriend, g.v.f. Spijkenisse marked the end of the first chapter… We are curious and excited to experience this new addition to the city we left behind. Spijkenisse will be surprised by us, as we will be by her. Not so, g.v.f. He still likes to pull our pigtails and kick dirt on our feet because he loves us. Someday, many years from now, we will visit Spijkenisse with him. We will not be young anymore, but we will giggle profusely. Just as we did back then.