The last weeks of 2014

Two days back from two weeks off and it’s as if nothing has changed. Well, little has changed. But it’s almost as if I haven’t been away, while Ireland seemed miles away when indulging in leisurely activities on the continent (or ‘Europe’, as the Irish call it). The break away from working life has been very enjoyable, but it is good to be back home as well. It feels good. The morning walk constituting my daily commute, the first tennis game of the year (a pitiful loss but never mind), the atmosphere at the office which is, even with tight deadlines and demanding multitasking, always relaxed and comfortable, and of course the little palace that Bo and I call home. Home with our cosy shaded lamps, shelves full of books, walls full of maps and comfortable couches. And home to Ireland, with a year full of new trips and adventures awaiting us. With more and more pins on the map the destinations seem only to grow more plentiful, as the little advertised walks and villages are very much hidden gems that compete effortlessly with picture-perfect tourist magnets once you know where to find them. And there is of course the alluring appeal of re-visiting previous winners, with Donegal topping the list by a distance. But before drifting off to all the new possibilities in 2015, let’s take a few moments to reminisce the last two weeks of 2014.

6 full days in France are a treat that I enjoyed to the max. Apart from eating, chilling out, reading loads, eating even more, socialising with the family, and taking regular naps, every day also featured either a decent hike (10km plus) or a 6km run. These two very complementary types of activity make for an ideal combination for a week away from the internet, television, and telephone. One of the (literal) highlights of the trip was the pruning of the two pollard willows (not sure whether that’s correct name of them trees) in front of our house. Making myself comfortably on one of the thicker branches, I sew vigorously at anything within reach until I had an uninterrupted 360 view, mirroring my dad’s tree a few yards apart from mine. A good workout in the crisp winter air was a welcome diversion from all the chilling out. And the post-sawing chilling out was of course all the more enjoyable.

Week II of the break was equally enjoyable but a bit more hectic. To be honest, you couldn’t go less hectic than France so all in all it was still quite relaxed. Sunday was all about clearing my room for the youngest piglet so she could move in while building a house somewhere else (literally), whereas I left for what turned out to be a memorable night in Amsterdam the day after. Trading in our usual overseas destinations (Antwerp, Dublin, Madrid, Milan) for a domestic one, Koen, Luijkx and I still had the time of our life in the Dutch capital with plenty of tales to share for years to come. Quality time. Tuesday featured a Dublin reunion with Pieter, Anna, Jip and Hannelore, whereas I saw time to have a coffee and a catch-up with Johan during the day as well. This itinerary may sound rather attainable but please do bear in mind the gigantic hangover I was nurturing until well into the new year. As tradition prescribes I partook in the futsal game on the last day of the year in Veldhoven, which always makes for a nice annual reunion with the likes of Roy, Nils, Paul, Rob and the others. Annual became biannual that evening as the lads showed up at Koen’s parents’ house, as I did, for a festive start of the new year. Thursday evening there was a lovely catch-up with Karine whilst indulging in great value tappas in Utrecht whereas Friday I got to visit the parents in law in Rotterdam, nourishing some hearty traditional Dutch food that we have to do without in Ireland!. Ending the holidays in style Koen, Stefan, Lieke, Inge, Mark, Bo and I went to Blauw in Utrecht for a spectacular Indonesian dinner which pushed Indonesia as a destination of choice even further up the bucket list. The ever growing bucket list… Two weeks of bliss, two weeks of being with the people I love most, with plenty of energy fuelled for a happy start of 2015. And for those few who actually do read my blog; I hereby wish you a healthy and happy new year!