Forest Theater

In the middle of “het Amsterdamse Bos” (The Forest of Amsterdam) there is an open air theater: Het Bostheater. Every summer there is a play on this stage. This year they play Don Q, A wonderful play although a bit confusing.

One of the best parts of the theater also is the time before the play starts, when people have their picnic on the benches. Eating the food they brought, having wine and mainly having a good time. The atmosphere during these warm summer nights is very special and even though you might not speak Dutch it would be worth visiting a performance when in Amsterdam

Finland

A weekend break to Finland is one of the most relaxing things I have ever done. They do not only all have saunas, they also seem to have their vacation cabins located next to lakes or on private islands in their archipelago. We fly to Turku to have a real Finnish dinner – fresh mushroom soup, Finnish cheese, Home baked buns, real Finnish meatballs and mash potato – with the parents of our friend the Viking, before driving up to his little house on an island. An Island without electricity or running water but with a sauna and hammocks.

Nightly sauna sessions, cooling down in the lake, having sausages, beer and potato salad at 2 at night. Picking blueberries, searching chanterelles and even go spear fishing to catch some fresh cod. Strolling a nearby year market in search of a coffee at 10am, only find out the only beverage that can be bought is beer. Deciding to than have beers instead, accompanied by one of the very best smoked salmon I have ever had.

Wish we could do this once every year!