I love the beach, but not in summer when the hordes of sun seekers stretch their slickly oiled lengths in neat rows over the hard sand where I want to walk. Winter is my time for the coast and the sand, and it's become almost a tradition to chivvy Koos into coming with me every year. The winter before last, we went to the Hook of Holland in November. Last year at new year we went to Breskens, just west of Terneuzen, and this year, we found ourselves just a little further west still on this glorious stretch of golden sand. We shared our walk with countless other dog walkers and horse riders, all of us enjoying the almost wondefully illicit feeling of letting our respective four legged friends run free on usually forbidden stretches.
I love the beach at any time of year. I'm one of those sun seekers, but there is also something nice in walking a coastline in different seasons. I'm sure Sindy had a fantastic time with the sand under her feet.
ReplyDeleteI just popped by to let you know I took inspiration from you, stopped cleaning and packing, and updated EG. There is also more to come, I hope!
xx
AM
Hello Val,
ReplyDeleteWhile I live near the Pacific Ocean, on Christmas Day -- while visiting my sister in the snow-encrusted wilds of New Hampshire -- we make a pilgrimage to the Atlantic Ocean. It was rather frigid, but also more exhilarating than any trip to sunny Venice Beach. So I think I understand your preference.
As the Who's "Bellboy" from Quadrophenia says:
"The beach is place
Where a man can feel
He's the only soul
In the world that's real."
That's why I love the beach. Besides, I'm too fair and impatient for a good tan ... :)
- Chris
Hi Anne Marie, I have to confess to being a hopeless misanthropist, so I just like my beaches to be devoid of other people...very selfish of me, I know, but I got used to it in SA, and find the overcrowding on Dutch beaches just too much to handle in the summer. And yes, Sindy can't go to the beach in the summer either, so this time of year is altogether better for us!
ReplyDeleteHave been and enjoyed EG already! Looking forward to more too....
Chris, I am very jealous of your Pacific Ocean there! I used to have the Indian Ocean nearby but the North Sea is as good as I can get these days, and yes, I admit, it's also very frigid, especially now, but your quote from Quadrophenia says it all. So true. I understand fully why you and Anne Marie love the beach...I love it too but with the selfish condition of my being the only one there - or at least one of very few!
Thanks to you both xx
Your photos are lovely, Val!
ReplyDeleteKoos' magic with the lens must be rubbing off on you...
I am eight hours away from the nearest ocean, the Pacific, but we have a beach on the lake just a five minute walk from the house. The public beach is about ten minutes.
None as spectacular as yours, though.
Oh, and I'm a missed anthropologist, too...
ReplyDeleteHate the sweaty, oily crowds laying about like sea lions along the shore!
Thanks Dale! That is praise indeed as I'm only too aware of the photo act I have to struggle to follow ;)
ReplyDeleteLol for the missed anthropologist! And you and I are one on this one...
Oh, VallyP!
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
I so love the photos....
But...
How do I know which blog of yours to post to? There are more than ...one.
I found this one OK....I trust it is the one to go to....
You are a jewel,
--Dan L.
I like beaches too because its where the two world of earth meet. The world we know on land and then the world we only visit, water --> the species within each world often vastly different.
ReplyDeletex
Lesley
Hi Val,
ReplyDeleteha, ha, think these are the wrong pics today.
I love the beach, too, but not today.
We have snow, snow, snow here in Kassel.
It's very cold (-12° Celsius). All looks so good.
Sunday I had a walk together with my son in the winter-forest and it was very funny.
Thanks for stopping at my blog and I hope we can meet this year. We will see.
Love
Stefan
Hi Val!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my blog recently & for your nice comments also.
It's been awhile since I've been here!
Love this post with the adjoining pictures as well. Always enjoyed your style of writing & your captivating photos. I really do!
So I'm back to blogging again. This time for real as I have many new insights to share.
"Blogger's Block" has lifted & I'm back.
ED
U know I love the beach Val! I love the photos you post here. The last one is fantastic. And of course the one with Koos and Sindy is outstanding. :)
ReplyDeleteQuite a philosophical picture there of Koos and Sindy there, both looking at the distance.
ReplyDeleteI'm not much of a beach person in summertime, for the very reason you mention. I like the seaside of course but prefer walking elsewhere than the crowded beaches. Luckily there is lots of that in Helsinki. Wintertime changes everything on beaches too. Personally I like walking just along the waterline, thinking my thoughts. Yesterday walking on water too, as the entire bay was frozen, with thick, even ice.
and two legged friends like koos - run koos run ...
ReplyDeleteI concur. Completely.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to try to comment on your Dutch blog... I really need to invest in a good Dutch dictionary. I have found a few grammer sites online and downloaded some bits, but have been so busy! Tony loves to come up behind me when I am making dinner and put his arms around while whispering to me in Dutch, and then he laughs knowing I only catch a little! Just he wait... I will catch on quicker than he thinks! LOL!
Oh Vally I am so out of touch, and I wish I had time now to sit and catch up here and elsewhere. Your page looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThis is just a quick hello between holiday trips (sadly, none in your direction theis time!); truly, I've barely been near a computer since before Christmas. Summer hols are in full swing here, and I'm off again tomorrow.
Please thank Koos for his lovely message, and take another big hug each. I miss you so much, and will try very hard to spend a whole day happily immersed in blogland when I'm back in a couple of weeks.
And happy new year!
PS: I'm going to the beach.
ReplyDeleteAcck I am jealous, haven't been to the beach in awhile! Love the top blog photo for this blog!
ReplyDeleteI'm not much of a beach person actually but these photos look like it was really the perfect conditions with weather and time of day to be there. It sounds like a great place to have a walk and a conversation.
ReplyDeleteOh woe is me, I've been so busy lately, I've barely been back to respond to all these kind words on my blog! But nonetheless, I'm touched that so many of you have been here in my absence, and I just want to say how great it is to see Dan, Margie, String and Stefan here again. Thank you so much.
ReplyDeleteLesley, you too and Maria, I've been slacking over at yours so I must do some rounds. But what a lovely surprise to see Ed again. I'm so glad you're back and bloggn again Ed! Finally, Lemon, thank you too. It's really great to make a new contact, even though I mostly see you on String's page which has more intellectual substance than mine, and where we've started sharing a few thoughts. Here on my blog, I'm mostly focused on things of a watery nature, but whether you are interested or not, you are very very welcome.