I live in the Netherlands in the province Noord-Brabant. Besides its beautiful nature reserves Brabant is also the province where The Efteling, the largest themepark in the Netherlands, is situated. The Efteling has a history of 68 years and started as a place to relax and where fairytales were brought to life. Nowadays it’s a World of Wonders where fairytales, adventure and rollercoasters guarantee a day filled with fun and joy.

When I was little my parents often took me the Efteling. Especially on very warm days it was a welcome relief to be in the cool environment of the fairytales in the forest. In those days there was also a swimmingpool. When our own children were young hubby and I went there with them too, often when there was a fair in our hometown. The boys then had a free Monday and Tuesday from school while there was no nationwide holiday and often the only people in the park were from our hometown. 

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In October 2018 I visited the Efteling myself with a large group of Dutch Peakers of various age for a fun day out. And a fun day it was! No matter your age, the Efteling always brings your inner child out and makes you feel like a teenager again for a day, strolling through the fairytale forest, and taking rides in the rollercoasters and other attractions. And we talk. A lot!

Talking with other members of my chosen family are always the best part of these gatherings. They vary from chitchat to serious talks about the issues we encounter in life. And so, in the course of this wonderful day, one of our members, who lives in the province Flevoland, told about the challenge she had given herself: walking the dykes that surround Flevoland before the end of the year. To understand what that means I need to tell a bit about Flevoland.

Flevoland is the youngest and smallest province of the Netherlands, and above all, it’s a ‘man made’ province, a polder! The land was once covered with water, but by building dykes and using mills to pump away the water it became dry land where people could live. (This is a very short and simple way to explain, in fact it takes many many years before a polder is ready). The Netherlands know many of these areas that once were water, but now are dry land. Polders were created for various reasons, but mainly as protection against the water that surrounds our country and to create more space to live. 

The Dutch Peaker who planned to walk the dykes that surround Flevoland wanted to do this as a way of embracing the province she is living in for 50 years now and we were welcome to join her on her walks which she had planned on the following Sundays. Two weeks later I joined her on her second walk.

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It wasn’t my first visit to Flevoland. Fifteen years before, in November 2003, I went there too, with my whole family, to plant trees for my father in ‘Het Wilhelminabos’ in Dronten. From 2000 until 2015 trees could be planted there (in November) in memory of loved ones who had lost their battle against cancer. The forest created this way, symbolises life. It grows, protects, dies and passes life on. It’s also a peaceful place, for memories, sadness and joy. The names of loved ones (many thousands) are engraved in glass panels at the site of the forest. My father had lost his battle in March 2003 and his grandchildren planted 2 trees in his memory. A few years later we visited the site again, to see for ourself how much the trees had grown.

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And so last years visit to the themepark I once went to with my parents caused my return to the province where my children planted trees in memory of one of them ….