A STATUE OF A WOMAN

in the big pond behind the town hall De Paauw in Wassenaar.
How did I get there?
Mischa and I had a plan for this day to go for a NS (Netherland Railways) walking tour and we choose in the end for De Horsten.
A wonderful green traject, that started at The Hague Central station, going north.. It seemed a bit long and it was even longer!
First through the Haagse Bos, familiar of course to us both.
Our path is also known as the Estates route, a cycling tour.
We walked in the Reigersbergen Estate, saw the castle De Wittenburg, Estate Backershagen, and the best of all Royal Estate De Horsten.
The village of Wassenaar is known as a very posh environment with the most amazing, costly beyond imagination, villas and estates.
We walked and enjoyed what we saw. We were however glad when we reached the pavilion where we could at last drink tea (me) and tonic (Mischa). We phoned Piet Hein there, who had just returned from his beach walk, and told him that we would be home later than we had thought at first. If he would be so kind to do the shopping for the pizza.
We walked along the Seringenberg, a hill which was constructed by Prince Frederic and planted with lilacs. It would be the time more or less
that they would flower. See the extra of that amazing hill, if you like.
Even if we at first had wanted to climb that hill, we skipped it gladly.
Now we came at a point where we would have gladly ended our tour, but to reach a train or bus we had to walk still some kilometers.
An endless path between meadows, beautiful, but our legs were sore.
After six o'clock we came at the railwaystation of Voorschoten, we took the train to The Hague and also the light rail to Loosduinen where we live.
We found Piet Hein preparing the pizza and we heartely ate it.
Now Mischa has gone to bed, I am writing and will rest after that too.
An amazing day, happily we can both smile about it too.

My haiku:

In the air a stork
Cows in the meadows, spring
Has come with big steps

And the quote by Max Beerbohm in And Even Now, 1920:

People seem to think there is something inherently noble and virtuous in the desire to go for a walk.