The Netherlands 1

Took the train from Brussels to Alphen aan den Rijn in the Netherlands yesterday. The train didn't have air conditioning and there were no windows to open. Europe is having a heat wave at the moment and it was hot.

But I arrived anyway to the pretty little town. Surrounded by green fields, canals and the odd windmill. There were a few modern gigantic electircity generating windmills too.

Staying with my friend's young family. The couple, Femmie and Ken, are biologists working for the University of Leiden and birdwatchers too. They have two cute daughters, Sophie and Virpi. Ken is away in Siberia looking for the breeding grounds of the Spoon-billed Sandpipers, one of the most endangedred shorebirds in the world.

Went out on a fruit-fly field survey wth Femmie and the two girls today. Beautiful day apart from the flat tyre we had. But we managed to get the tyre changed and got home without getting lost or any tyres falling off.

Going birdwatching with Ken's father tomorrow.

PS. Those wooden things with holes are 'nest boxes' for non-stinging parasitic wasps. My friends are biologists. They do these sort of things...