Impressions of Spain 1 – the Spanish

I saw the Dutch as having a stoic inner strength as a result of the battle the with external forces.

The Spanish temperament is shaped by the battle with their own wild passion.

Separatists in the Basque country and Catalonia seeking their own expression.

Civil ways

Anarchists

Communists

Capitalists

Living in the shadow of Spain’s “Glory Years”.

dsc_0014_3 — Parade on Hispanic Day dressed as in the “Glory Days” in Plaza Del Sol

“Glory Years” that spread Spanish culture to the Americas, Africa and distant corner so the world.

Especially in the Americas where the Hispanic culture is still strong.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA As it shows on the Hispanic Day parade from Plaza de Mayor of the Hispanic groups.

So the passionate Spaniards celebrate with parades of national days and saint days.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

With a 100 or more buglers and drummers leading the parade of the patron saint of Cadiz

But in many ways the flamenco dance captures the raw passionate energy of Spain

The wild swing or the body

The rapid fire stamping of the feet

The dancer lost in the raw energy of the moment

The wild expression of the inner passion.

Impressions of the Netherlands and the Dutch

Having spent, off and on, a couple of weeks in the Netherlands and travelling a couple of thousand kilometres across Europe with a bunch of of Dutch Moto Guzzi riders has left me with some powerful impressions of this place and the people.

The core of the Dutch people are caught up in their history.

Having succeeded from the rule of Spain the Dutch have faced constant threat of invasion.

In the Rijksmuseum, The Threatened Swan, captures this aspect the Netherlands constantly threatened by the dogs of war.

Incorporated into France under Napoleon

Brutal occupation by Germany in WWII despite declaring neutrality.

There is the constant fight to maintain control of there country.

In the Rijksmuseum there is a further insight

Up past The Night Watch

On the third floor there plays a documentary video about the Dutch and the constant battle to control water.

Reclaimed land from the sea and mighty rivers

fighting flood and inundation

Water in the huge rivers flowing through the country to the sea.

Basillica Saint Nicholas on the Amstel Dam

Water in the canals and behind the dams and dykes of Amsterdam.

Tilting aparment buildings sured up against subsidence as the water tries to reclaim the land it once covered.

It’s this fight for control from outside forces that give the Dutch a core strength, an inner stoicism.

But the Dutch are more than stoic.

Ride from Nijmegen in the Netherlands to Mandello De Lario in northern Italy

Riding with an eclectic group of Dutchies over 8 days revealed a certain joi de vivre that sat well aside the stoic determination.

An eclectic group; women on classic bikes, old veterans of the tour, white haired old men on new bikes, riders from all walks of life. All pushing hard on the tortuously twisty routes through southern Germany, Austria, the Swiss and Italian Alps to Mandello.

Every night laughter good food and of course beer.

The Dutch love to laugh, and drink the beers they are so proud of without losing control.

After all beer is mostly water!

Bouillon

In Bouillon

A woman in red

Lives at the Hotel De La Poste

By the Semios River

She is fit

walking down to the river

To feed the ducks petite dejeuner

But buy afternoon see is dreaming

Of canard confit au pommes de terre forestiere

For dinner

A bit of reflection

In the just over a week I have ridden through six countries in Europe

Open borders

Free travel

Wonderful friendly people

I’m reflecting on a this

And thinking of the past

The tragedy and waste of war so poignantly captured at the memorials at Villers Bretenneux

And the at the main train station at Nijmegen there was this sign

And I think

Let’s all just keep kissing

Let’s keep riding

And keep war and death in the past

Other side of the world 12 months on

Its hard to believe 12 months ago I was in Cooktown

Vast savanah plains

Tropical rain forest

The iconic tale of Captain Cook saving his ship in the Endeavour River

The marvellous aboriginal rock drawings

And now I’m at the site of another iconic Australian story at Villers Bretenneux in northern France.

Today rode a bit over 400 kms today visiting three countries. The Netherlands, Belgium and France

What a contrast to last year’s trip.

Densely populated villages

Fields green at the end of summer

In northern Queensland

Maybe one or two roadhouses on the parched dry land was all to see in 400kms.

The Villers Bretenneux is a significant story from a couple of aspects.

Firstly the village, in the Somme Valley was liberated by Australian soldiers in WW1.

It was a scene of vicious fighting were far too many died.

Monument to Australian soldiers at Villers Bretenneux

So the oh so many young men who died were collected and buried near Villers Bretenneux.

But the story doesn’t end there

And I believe this is the most moving part

The people of Victoria, Australia, many of whom had lost family in the war,

Raised money to by donation to raise money to help build a new school in Villers Bretenneux

The school still stands today

And the kangaroos at the entrance show the eternal connection across hemispheres.