Miền nam nước Pháp-Arles

NL6_3760 Tôi mong muốn đi đến miền nam nước Pháp lâu rồi, nhưng bây giờ mới có thể đi và thật sự nó hơi xa.

NL6_3776Hè này bầu đoàn thê tử chúng tôi sẽ có gần 2 tuần ở đây. Tôi mê quá đi mất!

Trên đường đi đến đây, chúng tôi có nghỉ một đêm ở NL6_3797Lyon, vì không đủ sức để ngồi hơn 12 tiếng trên xe.

Ở Arles chúng tôi thuê một căn hộ nhỏ. Tôi rất hài lòng với các bày trí và tiện nghi mà chủ nhàNL6_3791 mang đến. Cảnh quan thật yên bình.

Đây là căn hộ thuộc về một công viên nghỉ dưỡng. Mỗi một cụm căn hộ có hồ bơi riêng. Phía sau là một NL6_3791hồ nước nhân tạo đẹp. Nơi này có nhiều cơ sở giải trí như: cưỡi ngựa, xe đạp nước, golf…..nhưng lại không quá ồn ào cũng không hoàng vu và lặng lẽ.

Chiều tối thì muỗi nhiều, nhưng ít ruồi, rất ít ruồi và ít ong. Điều này khác hẳn ở Hà Lan.

Thời tiết thật đẹp. Nhiệt
độ khoảng từ 27 đến 32 độ. Nóng nhưng không oi nồng và ẩm ướt. Người dân thì thân thiện khác hẳn cái Paris xô bồ, xô bộn.NL6_3779

Tiếc là lần này chúng tôi đến muộn mùa hoa oải hương và hướng dương. Mai mắn là trên đường đi đến thành phố Avignon, chúng tôi đã tìm được một cánh đồng hoa hướng dương muộn để thoả mắt nhìn.

Vậy là phải bắt anh ấy trả nợ tôi một kỳ nghỉ với đầy sắc tím của hoa oải hương vào lần tới.

Chuẩn bị đi du lịch cùng con nhỏ bằng xe

Cứ vào dịp hè là gia đình tôi “rục rịch” chuẩn bị hành trang đi du lịch. Chúng tôi thường đi nghỉ ở nước ngoài vì Hà Lan hay mưa và lạnh,
tôi không thích thời tiết như thế, nên chúng tôi thường dành trọn ngày nghỉ của mình ở nước khác.

Trước khi có con, chúng tôi thường lựa chọn các khách sạn để nghỉ ngơi. Sau này khi có con, chúng tôi ưu tiên chọn ở ở những căn hộ gia đình vì tiện ích của chúng.

Để bắt đầu chuyến đi, chúng tôi sẽ tìm hiểu thông tin kỹ về nơi sẽ đến và ghi ra những vật dụng cần mang theo như:

Paspoort
Máy ảnh
Máy tính
Điện thoại
Sạc pin
Thuốc uống, kem chống muỗi, kém chống nắng, băng cá nhân.
Kim và chỉ ( chỉ cần 1 cây kim và 1 cuộn chỉ).
Dao cạo
Bàn ủi nhỏ (cho những người điệu như tôi)
Máy sấy tóc
Kềm cắt móng
Nhíp
Đồ đi chơi, đồ ngủ, đồ lót, vớ và Đồ Bơi.
Nhất định phải nhớ mang theo một bộ đồ dài tay và áo khoác ngoài. Ở những nước châu Âu bạn sẽ chẳng đoán nổi thời tiết đâu.

Chúng tôi có một túi giữ lạnh tốt. Trong túi này tôi sẽ dùng đựng 3 chai nước đông đá, hai hộp nước trái cây, trái cây và một cây chả lụa đông đá.

Ngoài ra chúng tôi còn mang theo một giỏ đựng thức ăn khác để mang theo, như: khoảng một lít gạo, 4 ly mì gói, bánh, kẹo và nước uống.

Các bạn sẽ bật cười khi thấy tôi mang linh tinh, đúng không. Khi có trẻ em đi theo và đi một nước khác, những món trên rất cần thiết. Ngày đầu tiên, bạn sẽ không biết giờ nào bạn sẽ đến nơi đâu, vì bạn có thể gặp kẹt xe kinh khủng và khi đến nơi thì tôi chỉ muốn nghỉ thôi chứ chẳng muốn đi tìm thức ăn. Lúc này mì gói sẽ trở thành món ngon tuyệt hảo.

Đừng quên lên kế hoạch cho từng ngày sẽ đi đến nơi nào, liên lạc với ai và cả địa chỉ nữa. Vì không phải Internet ở đâu cũng tốt. Nhớ đem theo một ít tiền mặt.

Khi đi chơi, chúng tôi sẽ ăn đặc sản từng vùng, ăn ở những nhà hàng ngon vài lần và nấu ăn cũng vài lần vì trẻ con cần phải ăn đủ chất.

Trên đây là một số chia sẻ của tôi. Mong nhận được nhiều tips của anh chị và các bạn để chúng ta có nhiều kỳ nghỉ tuyệt đẹp hơn nữa.

Thân.

Expositie over Zwolle

Er is op woensdag 3 augustus een kleine expositie over Zwolle.  Het zijn foto’s en schilderijen over Zwolle. Georganiseerd van meneer Koos  Nuninga.

De expositie begint om 17.00 uur. Jullie zijn harte welkom in het sluihuisje van het menistenbrugje . Dat is vlak naast de Watertoren van de Turfmarkt in Zwolle.  Deelname is gratis!

Happy mother’s day!

moeder's dag 2016 3My children have told me many times that they got a present for me, on the mother’s day.

Last night they said to me: ” Mama, tomorrow you can sleep as long as you like. A little bit longer than the other days. Don’t go down stair til we call you”.

moder's dag 2016 2

This morning, they got up before 6AM to make this for me (see the pic). They even didn’t drink or eat anything before finishing them :(.

Thank you very much kids! Mama likes them very much. They are very nice and special, but you two are the priceless presents which mama has ever received from the Buddha.moeder's dag 2016 1moeder's dag 2016 4

The area where my family lives.

We moved to this area when I was pregnant for six months with our first. We moved to this area because it is close to my husband’s parents. We bought this house because it is big enough for a young  family like ours.

I used to complain about the size of the house. I wanted to have more space, bigger rooms, a larger garden and especially no neighbors around. These things were always on my mind, even more since the second
child came.

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This afternoon, during taking a little walk with my kids, I saw a toad. My daughters suggested me to take him to the canal which lies behind our house (I am happy that was not a frog. Then I’d have to kiss it. I  already made that mistake before).  We walked to the bank (me and my daughters, not me and the toad), I put the toad under a brush. It hopped away.  My kids were standing there between the wild yellow buttercups growing along the bank, in the spring.  What a beautiful sight! I stood up and looked around. It was there all along for me to see, but I did not spot it for years.  I felt the loss of all the moments I missed in my life.

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My house is just a twenty minutes travel by bike to the town center or train station. It takes me five minutes to go to the nearest supermarket. There are many children playing around.

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I feel as if we are living on a small peninsula, surrounded by plants and trees. There is a small hill in front and a quiet canal behind our house.  A small forest is just out of our view.

My children have neighbor friends. When the spring comes, children go out walking, picnicking, biking and fishing. In the summer, they go to look for hazelnuts on the hill. They wear swimming suits to play with water in the garden. It is not lonely in the winter, because we still can see people walking up and down the street.

I stop thinking about moving to another place. My area is so beautiful. Life is always beautiful.

My birthday

My children are always looking forward to their own birthdays as well as my honey’s and  mine. Why so?  It is not just that they will get presents anyway. They will meet many people, and it is a party.

The children made the table
The children made the table

Since a few weeks, they kept asking when my birthday came. They knew the month, they knew the date, but they did not know exactly how long it would take.

Yes, I had my birthday.

Guess how they and their father arranged the party? They packed the gifts together a day before. Early in the morning my biggest daughter came to lie next to me (they come to my bed every morning). She said: Happy birthday mom. I love you very much.

She kissed me. She touched my face and asked: “Does your tooth still hurt, mama?” (I got a tooth infection. It was surgery two months ago).

“No, it is gone my dear,” I answered her.

“I wish you would not be sick forever, mom!” she exclaimed.

She left my room. She went back to her room to wake her little sister.
The little one also came  to my room and wished me happy birthday. Both of them went downstairs. My honey started getting up. He went upstairs to pack the gifts for the children. He could not do it the night before, because the kids were always by his side.

I was not allowed to go downstairs till they called.

“Mama! You can come down now. We made the table!” they called.

They did it. They put plates, stuff to put on breads, gifts and tea on the table. They did it just like we we do it for birthdays.

The biggest kid sad: “I do not know how to use the boiler, so I made tea with cold water. “(Luckily, she did not use the boiler).

Can you imagine how happy I was? I love them more than I can say. Thank you very much for being my kids. Love you.

Swimming in the winter

I believe that Vietnamese people would be surprised if they knew Dutch people went swimming in the winter.

People in Vietnam prefer to stay home or at least inside when it is cold or it rains. What do Dutch people do in the winter? The weather is quite stable here: it rains heavily and a lot of wind blows most days of the week. Would you go for a walk? Do you want to go shopping or go out for a cup of coffee with your friends on these day? I would not join you.

Children will not like to go shopping with you either. I think. They will be not happy staying at home or inside throughout the winter. How can they burn their energy? Take them to the swimming pool!

You will meet your friends, your neighbors and maybe even someone who you like to disappear from the earth in the swimming pool.

Do not be surprised if you see many pregnant women or parents with their little children, not even toddlers, swim and play around you.

My first child went swimming when she was four months old. She liked it very much. The second child began went she was seven months old. Both of them like swimming.

Every Dutch child must have swimming diploma A. That is the
basic level. Many children have lessons until they have diploma C. My children are busy practicing.

I do not have any swimming diploma, luckily I still can swim. My family often goes swimming. Yup! Also in the winter.

First Valentine card

My youngest daughter recieved a card from her classmate. It is so cute.

20150212_130907My honey brings the kids every morning to school. This moring he saw a little boy (my kid’s classmate) hold something in his hand. He ran quickly into the class to look for my kid.

He sat next to her, then he waved the card to get her attention. Unluckily, she did not care what he got in his hand. He put it on her leg. She thought something went wrong, she casted it down to the floor.

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He felt downcast. He picked it up and hesitateted giving it to her. She got it. She took it to their teacher: I think this is for you, teacher. But i am allowed to open it.

Teacher said: It is for you, kíd.

She said to me; I wonder why he give it to me, mama!!! 🙂

Am I happy?

10907197_10205301292146353_22331431_oSomeone has asked me whether I am happy with my life or not. It’s not an easy question. Why?

I had good friends when I was in Vietnam. I now have good friends here as well. Ten years ago I lived in a busy city. I’m now living in a quiet place. I have different life presently.

When I was in Vietnam, I enjoyed a single life. I did whatever I liked. I’m now very busy with my kids. I feel happy with my nuclear family, but I miss Vietnam so much. I miss the food. I miss the weather. Actually, I miss everything there.

It is very quiet and peaceful here, it reminds me
that I will be easily forgotten.

You asked me whether I feel at home here? I am not sure. I can not give you an answer. Sorry!

Cycling with my kids!

A sunny day!Welcome to my world!

I launch my blog on a foggy day. It is not in my plan, but I need to start somewhere someday, so that is today.

The south of Vietnam is my mother’s land, where there are only two seasons: dry and wet. When I was in Vietnam, I wished that one day I could see and touch real snow. My wish became true when I married to a Dutch man and after living almost ten years in The Netherlands, I do not like winter, snow and even autumn at all. I am practicing to love them, but they also need to be nice with me. Which season is your favorite?

I love spring and summer. In those seasons I can wear nicer clothes. I can go cycling with my man and my kids. The two little girls on this picture are my love, my life and my daughters. Here they are on their way to their dancing class. I’m quite busy with them. Sometimes I am angry because I do not have any time for myself, but I’m happy double, triple when they come to my life and be with me.

Thank you for reading my first note.

Linh