It's funny being back in Holland. Some things have changed (a lot of new buildings and shops) & many things are still the same as when I was a little girl here. The people out on their pushbikes, going ice-skating with the family (no natural ice though nowadays), watching Saint Nicolas come to town, drinking lots of hots drinks throughout the day, watching silly gameshows on TV, playing boardgames with my family...it's all so familiar and cozy.

What I did forget- having been in the tropics for so long- is how cold your ears get outside, how horrible it is to sit on a cold toilet seat and how long you delay getting out of the shower or bath as you just can't stand the idea of drying yourself off in the cold.

Still, I like the seasons and all that comes with it. Of course, no one would choose rainy days or cold winds over a blue skies. But I enjoy the changing scenery throughout the year in Europe and it is something that I have always missed in Belize and Aruba. So I am enjoying myself.

Today we'll be meeting some family that we haven't seen since we were kids. Should be interesting.

I just wish that Aruba and Europe were less far apart, so we could hop backwards and forwards a bit more often.