This country will always have a special place in Hector’s memory. It was the destination of Hector’s first ever foreign trip. The Year was 1964, the date, December 25. How can I be so precise after all this time?
Mother, Sister and Hector had flown down to Heathrow the night before and somehow had a hotel room. A morning flight took us to Amsterdam. The ‘plane was a four engined propeller job which bounced around the sky. The crew couldn’t do enough for the kids on board who found themselves flying on this Festive Day. Chocolate, and more Chocolate. Coffee for Breakfast, Chocolate, Bouncy ‘Plane… this was the last time I ever up-chucked on a ‘plane.
Father’s ship was docked in Rotterdam, in what is now Europoort, was still under construction. When I say docked, I should say parked. A courtesy boat, the Spido, took the crew out to their ships at anchor.
We returned the following year and sailed to Bone (now Annaba) in Algeria and back. This trip concluded with some days spent at a Dutch Seaside Resort – Wijk aan Zee. I wonder if the hotel de Woeste Hoogte (Wuthering Heights) still exists. Best research suggest it does. Over to you, Marg!
Haarlem
Wijk aan Zee
Pingback: Ganesha, Köln & The Big Announcement | curry-heute.com