015: Stad an Zee

Moin jullie allen,


Last Sunday - that means yesterday - was spent at the sea; more specifically in Oostende. That is Dutch and means "ost end". So, let's revisit our History lessons and ask: Where's the connection to the Oostendse Compagnie?

Well?

Here's a hint: sea, 1722, Antwerp, Austrian Netherlands... oh, and I don't know... exit to the sea?

Oostende is a very beautiful small town, unfortunately construction sites prevented further exploration and endless photography. Which, I guess, is also a good thing.

After nearly 5 hours of walking around and fighting the wind and with my hair thoroughly blown through, I decided to chill for a while at Joe's Tavern where I had a kopje koffie, zwart en zonder slag.

I wish you could have been there. I would have shared my sandwich and my apple. I know for sure that I could very well live at the sea. There's just something about the light there and the sounds of waves breaking on the shoreline and that sandy, wet, and salty smell of wood and planks...

I love the sea. In fact, now that I think about it, when I was little I wanted to be a pirate. That fascination then carried onto a YA novel called Tambari; needless to say I wanted my very own Tambari cutter. I still have a copy of that book (thank you, you know who you are; it means A LOT). And someday I will have to go and see where the story was set. It's actually not far from the Polish part of the Baltic Sea.


The sea... you think I should re-read Moby Dick?
Hm, I wonder if it is sold in Dutch here?

In Oostende I made a new friend:





His name is... Jonathan.