Sabbatical Day 16 – Sleen to Coevorden (21k)

Thursday, May 16, 2024
The days are starting to blur. I’m thankful for the pictures that help remind me. Today we walked 21k – a shorter walk! After a delicious Dutch breakfast (1 hard-boiled egg, various breads, hagelslag [chocolate sprinkles], meat and cheese, strong coffee), we move our stiff bodies out of town and onto the path. Today we anticipate something different from forests and fields.

1.  As we leave the town, we notice an odour in the air. For the rest of the day there is the lingering aroma of manure. This makes Valerie nostalgic, having grown up on the farm; no nostal for me, just the ic.
2. Today our route takes us along canals and country roads, and through a few small towns. We encounter more benches (!), as well as hospitality stops for Pieterpaders. One lady was selling the cutest handmaid baby clothes, something nice for our new grandson… Except we don’t want to carry anything extra in our packs.
3. We are meeting more Pieterpaders along the way. We feel we belong to a community, sharing tips, stories and experiences with each other. This makes me think about how we as Jesus followers also belong to a community of fellow travellers, sharing tips, stories and experiences.
4. We read about one town where the kids tried to invite the hikers into their school; those hikers did not understand Dutch, so they didn’t. We did, and were welcomed to their snack shop. We met Fin, Jap and Esmaya, and they seemed excited to hear we were from Canada.
5. We saw that it might rain. It started to spit, but we didn’t bother putting on our rain ponchos. The heavy rain held off until early evening, and for a short time it poured. We were told about a rain app, ‘buienalarm’, that gives you accurate up to the minute rain conditions and warnings. It worked!
6. We arrive in Coevorden, a larger city – from which the city of Vancouver derives its name. Apparently some captain named van Coevorden. The remnants of the star shaped defensive walls around the castle are part of the city center.
7. We try to eat simple. The grocery store has many small portion meals. Today was tricky because we had no microwave or other kitchen facilities. We first go to the center park, but the geese start hissing at us, wanting to eat with us. We hasten to a bench beside our hotel, not feeling social with these geese.
8. We had a good day. All min all we walked 24k. Our feet continue to make their presence known, and other aches and pains occasionally demand our attention too (and a muscle relaxant). But we’re starting to get into a rhythm. Only 19 more days…

Leaving Sleen