MAY 2020
This blog is anything but a travel related blog, but it seems like 2020 is going to be that way. A few weeks ago I was still making summer travel plans, but every day it seems more unlikely that we will be able to get out of the country in the next few months. I am trying to make the best out of this situation and we are spending our time renovating our home and going on walks nearby. One of my favorite spots in the neighborhood is the Sonse Heide, a small nature reserve which is only a few kilometers from our home. The nature there reminds me of my favorite Dutch nature reserve “The Veluwe”, except that there are less hills. Usually I only come here when I go mountainbiking, but the Sonse Heide has become my go to spot for walks and photography right now. I will finish off this blogpost with some book recommendations, as I am currently reading even more books than I usually do.
Sonse Heide
The Sonse Heide is about 300 hectares, of which 34 hectares is a nature reserve. My favorite part of the Sonse Heide is “Oud Meer”, which features several small lakes and offers wide views over the area. In late summertime the Sonse Heide also has beautiful heather flowers, so you will definitely find me there in August-September… As a trip to the lavender fields in France will not be possible this year, this is your best alternative. I usually try to visit the Sonse Heide in the morning and in the evening, as I find the light the prettiest during these times. If you get a bit creative with your camera and outfits, you can pretend to be in South Africa in the Oud Meer area.
Besides heathland the Sonse Heide also consists of forests, so on a hot day you can definitely find some shelter here.
Book recommendations
I find books the perfect way to take my mind of things, especially as you cannot turn on the TV without being bombarded by COVID-19 news. I promised myself I would read less books this year, as I can become a bit obsessive while reading, but apparently this is not the year for such promises. If you are looking for some new books, these are my recommendations:
Where the crawdads sing (Waar de rivierkreeften zingen) by Delia Owens. This was 2019’s bestseller in the U.S., but somehow I don’t know a lot of people who have read this book. In this book we follow the adventurous and unusual life of Kya Clark, who grows up alone in the marsh. I usually don’t read these kind of books, as I tend to go for faster reading material, but I was really impressed by the writing style of the author and felt a real connection with the characters in the book. Kya lives such a different life than I do and the book took me away to another world.
A good neighborhood by Therese Anne Fowler. This is a beautifully written novel, that tackles some difficult topics such as racism, class and prejudice without feeling too heavy. The story plays in North-Carolina and the descriptions about the old oak trees and landscapes took me back to our roadtrip in the U.S., offering some escapism in these times. I particularly loved the symbolism in this book, that ties the story together perfectly.
Talking to strangers by Malcolm Gladwell. Besides novels I always love to read biographies and real-life books and Michael Gladwell writes the perfect real-life books. I read this book on our sabbatical and each chapter I was giving Hielke an update of the theories in the book, as it provides a lot of discussion material. The tag-line for this book is āWhat we should know about the people we donāt knowā, which seems even more current during the COVID-19 Pandemic. This book provides interesting theories about Fidel Castro and Adolf Hitler, giving you some interesting historic lessons as well as a good distraction.
The Perfect Wife by J.P. Delaney. I am always fascinated by developments in artificial intelligence and I love a suspense thriller. This book ties these things together with a story about a man that tries to deal with the loss of his wife by rebuilding her as a robot. But what are the real motives behind this?
Becoming by Michelle Obama. Just in case you havenāt read it, it is a must! I found it much more personal and candid than I expected!
The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda. Megan Miranda is one of my most read authors, I am always curious to see where her next story is about. The Last House Guest was another good thriller and I particularly liked the setting of this book, as a girl has gone missing in a fancy beach town. It will definitely take you back to the pre-Covid era, where we had parties and could go to restaurants at the beach š
So you want to talk about race by Iejeoma Oluo. Another book I couldnāt stop talking about to Hielkeā¦ it explains about privilege and racism in modern times and if you want an educational challenge I would absolutely recommend this book.
If you would like a personal recommendation, I am very happy to give one!