Back to the Dunes...

Things once again looked different when Terri, Kati and I visited the Wassenaar Dunes in mid-April. 

Somehow we ended up walking yet another part of the antitank wall from World War II.

Kati felt very at home on this trail and was happy to lead the way.

The weather was lovely so we stripped off layers along the way.

It was very clear as we went up the tower near Katwijk. 

We walked back along the beach, where the tide was coming in with little wind which made for some great reflections of sea birds. 

 

Back to the Dunes...

The following week Terri picked up me and Kati for another walk in the dunes of Wassenaar. We were surprised and excited to spot these Highland cows near the start of our route. 

We were even more excited to see that we could access the antitank wall again.

The scenery had changed a lot after the water company finished their construction projects, which included rearranging the manmade retention ponds. 

We always stop at this pond as it’s the only water stop for Kati. 

The hills were lovely with lots of yellow flowers.

This was the largest group of Highland cows that we’d seen in the dunes for several years. 
 

Long Walk in Wassenaar...

I went on several nice long walks in July, the first being with Carlin and Terri in Wassenaar. We started at the Airbnb house rental that Carlin had been staying in since their house sold. Our first stop was for tea at the outdoor café at the Voorlinden Museum.

We then headed out the back of the museum’s property through a hole under the fence into Meijendel, our region’s largest contiguous dune area. 

We stopped to eat our picnic lunch on a random dune.

We happened upon Waalsdorpervlakte, a World War II Memorial at the location where more than 250 people, including many members of the Dutch Resistance, were executed by the Nazis. 

It was a nice clear day with views down to Scheveningen Beach. 

Terri and I had a vague memory of going to a restaurant several years ago at the beach between Wassenaar and Scheveningen, but somehow didn’t realize that it was next to the nude beach...

…where we spotted this dude daring to enter the cold water.

Much more exciting was spotting this strandbeest (beach beast). For years I’ve known that artist Theo Jansen makes beasts out of PVC pipes that walk down the beach, but had never had the good fortune to see him in action. Unfortunately, I couldn't stick around until this creature went for a walk.

Later we ran into a different kind of creature...

…and a pooper scooper available on loan for those who need it. 
 

Reflections in Wassenaar...

Another day with low winds, meant lots of opportunities to take shots of reflections.

 

Spotted in Wassenaar...

On a relatively warm day at the end of February, Terri, Kati and I went for a long walk in Wassenaar. 

Along the way, we spotted a big rusty cow...

…a red squirrel (all squirrels are a rare sighting near us)…

…cool fungus...

…paintings on display outside a quaint artist’s studio.

…and a charming and unique house in the park.

 

Like a Dutch Landscape Painting...

Especially fascinating on that hike around Voorlinden were the incredible reflections in the canal near the Belted Galloways, who were in the large field in front of the museum. I couldn't help but think that these moments of changing skies (of which there were many as I wanted to photograph the area from every possible angle) were like those moments that inspired Dutch landscape painters.