Dear
Bloggers,
I
remember very well when I was a little boy, from the back seat of our car, I
used to eagerly look forward to admiring the wide sea once we reached the coast
for our very few trips during the holidays. It is where I went every year with
my parents as being the youngest little bloke in our family. Quite an adventure
every time. The North Sea stood (and still stands) for freedom, sun and beach.
In short, full enjoyment, as it should be.
The sea
therefore impresses me like few other things in nature. The way it stretches
endlessly, far beyond the horizon. And swerve both left and right as far as
your eyes allow you to look. And then what to think of the force in which the
waves make their way towards the mainland, towards the beach, all with that
lovely soothing sound of the moving sea current. Lovely, isn't it?
My love
for the sea has only increased with age, you learn to appreciate even more the
beauty and power of nature.
All that
said, I headed out later in life to get some demons in my head under control
and no this did not succeed at first. Feeling homesick and overcome with
feelings of deep-seated fears literally surfaced. It was living Hell. As a
result, I stepped down again from my career as a sailor, but the salty water
had touched my brain and a few months later I boarded a cruise ship I took a
flight to Venice to join the ships crew. I had to gain some confidence and
income for our family. And yes again, I was not having a good time and after
the first contract I stepped away again I was missing my girlfriend and it
didn't earn very well either. Luck was with me because at the ferry service
where I had worked they were again looking for staff. This is where my sea
career began to take shape and nowadays I have been with them for nearly
fifteen years..
Every
time I drive to the coast, I always find a unique seaside resort or a small
cafe overlooking the sea. The coast is often beautiful and there is also
sometimes a natural transition between beach and dunes. Unspoiled nature.
Meters high dunes with natural vegetation, so nice to go for a walk or
having a cozy picnic.
Sea
dykes and sky-high buildings often prevent the natural course of things in
other seaside resorts, and once you have tasted the splendor of nature as it is
supposed to be, you won't be able to prove us wrong.
The
first 2-3 hours after our arrival were spent walking with our 2 Shelties
through and along the dunes and on the beach. A nice breath of fresh air in a
rather tight sea breeze, your head completely empty of thoughts, but all under
a nice smiling autumn sun.
We
walked towards the North, a few kilometer’s away, step by step against the wind
gusts.
A
kilometer or so from the Centre of Callantsoog along the line separating the
beach from the beginning of the dunes, you can find nice little shops and restaurants
on the village square. On the beach, some of the beach pavilions are open all
year round, so even in autumn and winter this is paradise for both the
passionate wind and kite surfers and for those who want to enjoy a drink near
the sea. We are definitely the latter, by the way, and we enjoyed the summer
cocktail while admiring the unbelievably clever tricks the sea sport
enthusiasts showed to passers-by and others like us. Enjoying the good life,
but a little better!
After
our rest and enjoying the beautiful view, we left the pavilion and continued
our walk. Enjoying the sun sinking deeper and deeper. We felt free and relaxed.
A beautiful sunset turned out to be the icing on the cake of a great day spent
on and around the dunes and beach. Our dogs go totally wild as they are running
down the coastline.
On the
culinary front, by the way, we had picked some things in advance that we
absolutely wanted to tick off our gastronomic 'bucket-list'. The North Sea and
fisheries are inextricably linked. So yes, we spent our evening in Callantsoog
going for two typical, delectable dishes in which the fruits of the sea played
a starring role: delicious freshly made shrimp croquettes as a starter, an
appetizer that made our taste buds gurgle with pleasure. Unfortunately, I can
only sit there and watch my wife feast on these treats from the sea. I am
unfortunately allergic to seafood at least a substance found in most of them.
Fortunately for me, the menu has plenty of alternatives.
And
after that? Oh yes, an authentically Dutch main meal in the form of far-sea
sirloin steak with a sauce of your choice accompanied by baked Jerusalem apples
and fresh vegetables. Delicious!
However,
all great songs and weekends always come to an end. After our very successful day
out in Callantsoog, we went out again to enjoy the sea breeze and the
incredibly beautiful dune landscape one last time, here in the province called North
Holland.
Callantsoog
is super-touristic but still one of the few seaside resorts on the Dutch North
Sea coast where the dunes and beach still flow into each other undisturbed (and
oh so beautifully). It yields such beautiful views. To fall in love with... and
to stay. Hope to see you soon.
The Old
Sailor,
