I left last Friday for Holland to visit my friend Asher, who I know from University in Chicago. He's been living in Doetinchem, Netherlands for the past 8 months or so working on his family's farm. I arrived into Amsterdam around 9pm, then had to catch a train from Centraal to Doetinchem. It took roughly another hour and a half, Asher picked me up from the train station with his sister, Fredericka. The farm is nice, we have been hanging out here for the past few days. Asher has been working on performing music around the Doetinchem and also trying to get gigs in Amsterdam. More on Amsterdam later, for now Ill just show you some photos of Doetinchem and the farm.
Oh yea, first I gotta mention how I got here for £1.50. I took Megabus from Victoria Station. Since I had gotten the fare so far in advance I was able to book it for the ultra-promo-price of £1 (same rules apply in the States, 50p was the surcharge). The bus arrived Folkestone and then drove into this train which is big enough to carry a bus and many cars, across through the tunnel. It was pretty neat, it takes you across the Channel in about 35 minutes. This passage is also used for freight trains as well as high speed transit.
This is taken from the back of the bus - you can see the cars sort of lining up and the bus gets its own sort of cabin. Once the train starts going you can actually get out and walk around the cabin of the car. Theres bathrooms and everything. Pretty crazy.
Bit of use.
Space Age.
More Space age shit at the Arnem station.
So I got to Doetinchem around 12am, sort of a long journey but well worth it. Ashers family had made steak for dinner so I arrived to eat steak, rice and carrots. Nice first meal! Asher lives here with Jerry his dad, Letty Jerry's wife and on the occasion their two daughters Fredericka and Ana. Frederika is 18 and in college, Ana is currently on a trip to Chile for 2 months. The house is situated on a farm on the south eastern part of the town. The property has been under Letty's family name for a couple of generations. They grow lots of veggies, raise goats, chickens and ducks. All of which I have tasted, besides the duck so far. There's really great home cooking happening here, Letty and Jerry are amazing cooks.
Asher on Hamburgerstraat.
Asher strumming.
Asher, Letty and Jerry.
Asher and Nuuka, shes a Spanish kind of greyhound.
The farm animals. Dutch light really is crazy.
Here's a barn on their property, they'll turn this into a bed and breakfast at some point. They want to host artists and musicians out here.
Some trailers Ash sleeps in during the summer.
Doetinchem is fairly small, only about 56,000 people live here. I walked around the town square and small neighborhoods a couple of days. Here's a few pictures below.
The town square, the church has been there since WWII, partially destroyed but then rebuilt.
Two young thugs.
Little kids getting their energy out.
Wherever you go there you are.
Nice architecture here.
Slow down sign inside the neighborhood.
Frost on some leaves.
Backcountry Bavarian beer cans in the woods.
Some kind of berries in the sunset light.