I am writing this in the train at the Berlin Haupt Bahnhof on the Way to Hamburg.
On Wednesday I continue my swing of visiting family, which started yesterday from Amsterdam, to Warsaw. My nephew Jacob (my name sake) van Ommen showed me around in Berlin yesterday. The only other time that I was in Berlin was shortly after the fall of the Wall. But I did not get to see much of it. Jacob is an architect and shared his knowledge about all the monumental historic and modern architecture.
Berlin: L.R. me, Joshua Jacob’s stepson, Lara van Ommen, Jacob van Ommen
My twin brother and his wife live east of Hamburg in Reinbek near the Elbe river.
Reinbek: My twin brother’s ready to press harvest.
Poland will be a first for me. My eldest daughter Lisa is visiting her daughter Corrine and family in Warsaw.
Warsaw: FOUR GENERATIONS L.R. Weston W., Corrine Spencer, Spencer W., Lisa van Ommen, me, Euan Wheatly
On the way back to Amsterdam I will meet a Polish-American sailing friend, Marek, who will be visiting his home in Poznan. We met in November 2016 on the occasion of the Baja Ha-Ha sailing cruise from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas. We met again last year August when he had his (other) boat in Enkhuizen.
With Marek in Poznan .
Archcathedral Basilica of St. Peter and Paul, Poznan, Oldest Polish Cathedral.
I took advantage of my Dutch residence permit by travelling the trains on a Global Rail Pass instead of the Euro Rail Pass. This is good for a months and you can pick the number of days. I chose 5 days which was about $300, this included the supplement of the express trains. Since the Polish train tickets are much less than the Dutch and German fares, I paid for the 3 hour ride from Warsaw to Poznan, this was about $15.
In the meantime, it is Monday September 8th. I made it back to my Amsterdam home Saturday evening, from Poznan. The Indian Summer lasted through last night and I saw the moon eclipse perfectly when it rose over the houses reflecting in the water of the marina. It would have made a perfect picture, but my camera battery was dead. I found my spare battery after the eclipse had elapsed….Oh, well, I have another 12 years left.
Be sure to check the 5 minute slide/video presentation of the sites on this trip. https://studio.youtube.com/video/A9yDYl9Mx08/edit
Castle Square, Warsaw
After the wall came down, Prague became the place to visit. After you see the splendor of these pictures you have another one for your to see list. Hotels, eating out, transportations are half the costs of the beaten Europe tracks. Compared to the seven countries on the Danube, converted from the Communist regime, I visited in 2010-2011, Poland has shed its scars far better. But that is most likely due to the practice gained in being pummeled by their neighbors for centuries.
A month ago I reported that I was barricaded in the Lake in Amsterdam on “Fleetwood III”. With all the major restoration done, I’m finally making good on my neglected social visits. Last Thursday I saw a pretty part of Holland that was a surprise to me, located in the affluence into the North Sea of the three major rivers in the Rhine delta. Holland at its best on a beautiful late summer day. My oldest nephew drove us there.
The reason for it was to take a look at a potential “Fleetwood V”… This boat is identical to number I and II. The price is right but the timing and the chances to sell number III are a problem.
I have booked my return to Fleetwood # 4, in Virginia departing on September 26th and arriving by train from Baltimore to Norfolk on the 27th. I have restarted my US phone service.
Two weeks ago was the 10th visit of the Tall Ships “SAIL AMSTERDAM” An event that takes place since 1975, every 5 years, skipped in 2020 due to COVID. It was extra special because Amsterdam celebrated its 750th birthday.
This was my first opportunity to attend the entrance parade from the North Sea to the Amsterdam harbor, on August 20. I had a good elevated spot along the route and posted the pictures and video at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUcyW9xt4zE
SAIL AMSTERDAM 2025
The used sailboat market is oversupplied and I have little response to my advertisements. Right now my plans are to make the best of it and enjoy the boat as my pied a terre in the Netherlands for the summer and use #4 from Virginia to the Caribbean for the winter.
I look forward to visit Lisa and my friends in the Pacific Northwest around the Thanksgiving holiday period.
