Naar Maastricht

We’ll have gale conditions for the crossing, the Captain rasped over the ferry’s loudspeakers, followed by a list of precautions.  I eyed the waves breaking over the Dover seawall and gauged the wind-driven heel of boats entering the harbour.  Not a pleasant trip, but warm enough that I could enjoy the view from the deck.

 

It’s always impressive to see the crew get a boat that large spun out of dock and off into the Channel.  The British watch working sailors the way the Dutch watch river management, clustered along the upper rails,pointing and critiquing.  The ferry slid sideways, turned upwind for a boat length, then ran downwind through the gap to the open sea. 

The wind rose, the boat pitched: we were off.

 

Apart from the cruise, it was a pretty easy jump to Maastricht.  And it was nice to be back among my things again, especially since the repair work on the front walls had been completed.  New paint, clean fabrics, shiny windows: Bionda and her friends did  lovely job on the clean-up.

Life was looking up – I went downstairs for a biertje (herfst bok) to celebrate.

 

I was up early this morning, picked up bread and milk, stumbled across the set of Flikken Maastricht, filming behind the old city wall

‘pretty fun to see the cast putting a scene together.

 

It was a warm autumn day, the light was perfect, the fall colours in full display along the river.

I lingered an hour before getting down to work.