It is reunion season for my family. After going back and forth to decide which month and which weeks, we land in the early season of heat waves. The journey from Marseille to Amsterdam takes less than two hours by plane, while the travel from Rotterdam to Dordrecht takes almost as much by special bus as there is repair work happening on the train tracks. As I find out, it is people and culture that keep it all cool. Starting in the wetlands of Dordrecht, my sister Nathalie and I agree that the Dordrechts Museum is a permanent oasis of art. That’s really cool.

My favorite Dutch painting art period starts around the 17th century, depicting wealthy and common personages, lush landscapes, ornamental flora and exotic fauna. These early paintings can be so human, full of quiet expression and emotion, something easy to recognise and to identify with. I see the the same in a 2026 painting called A few weeks from now. It is different, the style, the colors yet the same human being, in very uncertain times, the twenty first century.

Bart and Kathleen invite us to dinner, in Breda. Lars and Diana pick us up by car and soon we converse about things we have in common, like the beauty of our living places, nature, music, work and the future. Bart and Kathleen have prepared a dinner au naturel with wine for dining out in the garden as in the evenings it can even be cool, and later too cool, then we transfer indoors, continuing our stories about family and more.

De Biesbosch National Park is a fresh water delta where willow trees can keep you cool too. Now a protected area but earlier the twigs and wood of willow trees were used to make utensils, like baskets, and wood for tool handles, and firewood. Duck decoys were built to lure ducks into captivity and into the pot. Today a green and peaceful plot for roaming around, yet, today, one speaks of drink water shortage in the country.

Twan and Karin visit us with their two children Stan and Jalou who give us a piece of delicious Gouda kaas. Twan is captain and says that his flight company still has enough fuel in stock in spite of the Hormuz crisis. Jalou opens the secret drawer where Nathalie saves paper and strings for making presents. She and Stan start making gag presents with much attention for detail, for everyone. Both children, 10 and 8 years old, already do skilful things, like waterpolo sport and creative street dance.

There are quite some spots of beauty in and around Dordrecht, not to forget the unique cafés and restaurants. We try out the Waterbus, a public boat transport that takes you from Dordrecht to the Erasmus Bridge of Rotterdam in one hour. I might take this waterbus in case repair work on the train tracks keeps continuing. We conclude that it is a convenient ride along the riverside with some stops at places with names like Papendrecht, Alblasserdam and Hendrik Ido Ambacht.

To Be Continued

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