Holland 2024

This was the third year of ETF (European Triod Festival) being hosted at Kasteel de Berckt in Baarlo, Holland. We've stayed in the same room each visit, so we felt right at home.

It's a 17th century Dutch castle, so not the stuff of Disney movies, but lovely and filled with antiques. The colorful autumn leaves were a treat for us, as they are a rarity in Los Angeles.

A colleague from financial conferences invited us to visit his horse farm not too far from Baarlo. I should have taken more photos at the farm, and Breda, the town nearby. It was charming and picturesque but I was too busy having a good time--and John was put to work which he totally enjoyed.

At the conference it was great to see friends from all over Europe, and even a few from the USA. John collaborated in building an amplifier, we listened to interesting music on great and innovative sound systems, and enjoyed being immersed in the experience.

Over the years I have developed a few hiking buddies. One day I took a walk in the vicinity of the Kasteel into Baarlo. It's a very picturesque agricultural area.

Downtown Baarlo was decorated for the holidays, and where else in the world can you shop at a herring truck? The selection looked great.

Across the river there is another small town with a botanical garden which is largely dormant in the fall. Marianne knew the names of all the plants, and some details captured my imagination.

Mareet is a very organized hiker and we trekked through farm fields and through the woods for a lovely and invigorating eight mile walk. She is always ready to hike more, so the challenge is getting back before dark.

In the past we attended ETF conferences in Copenhagen, Berlin, and Belham, France. Next year the conference will be in Germany, so a new area to explore. We look forward to it.