So where did you go on vacation?

The question of where one has gone on vacation is pretty standard here. Most people, after all, go away sometime in the summer during the school vacations. I, too, have been asked the question numerous times in the last while. The problem is that I have no idea how to answer.

It is not that we have not gone away this summer - we've been to Paris, Norway, east Germany, and, de Veluwen. Matthijs has also been to Lourdes (France), Hamburg, and Durham. Furthermore, I still have a trip to Austria planned at the end of this month (Matthijs is possibly in Berlin then). Each of these places has brought with it new impressions and positive experiences, which has been good. Yet, this travelling hasn't really felt like vacation.

Vacation for me is reading too many books, going for long walks or bike trips, finishing up old projects and  spending long evenings talking, drinking and eating. Travelling and new places, exciting as they might be, are thus not always conducive for my feeling like I've had vacation. At the same time, there's been a lot of moments this summer that have meant extra rest and extra fellowship. And slowly the feeling of vacation has begun to come over me. A few more bike rides, hiking in Austria, more hard work on the dissertation project of August, and a few more evenings on our roof terrace - and I think I will be ready for the new season (although perhaps not until 2 September). And I'm even beginning to look forward to it :)

The following are a few pictures to give an impression of our summer:

One of the places we visited in Norway.

 

Two of the beautiful windows found in Bremen, Germany.

 

On the bright side, at least my cat has been having a great vacation! He's had a friend in house for half the summer, and he's had lots of chance to do what I consider to be the best part of vacation - spending extra time resting and hanging out with friends.